Atlantica (trade Zone) - Regional Justification

Regional Justification

The boundaries defined by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies broadly echo the Atlantic Northeast, incorporating Upstate New York roughly north of I-90 (or the Erie Canal), Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the island of Newfoundland, and Quebec on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The inclusion of Labrador, and thus the entirety of Newfoundland and Labrador, is unsettled. Some organization maps also include the region of Quebec directly south of Labrador, but this has not been elaborated on.

The proponents of Atlantica believe this region has common geography, demographics, economics, and environment. This concept of a cross-border continuity is discussed in regional studies such as the influential 1981 book The Nine Nations of North America. In particular, proponents believe that the region has seen declining political influence in both countries, and would do well to pool its resources.

Supporters believe that state, provincial, and international borders, as well as tariffs and regulatory differences, disrupt the economic potential of the region, and that a common strategy would maximize the region's opportunities in the globalization era. The goal of the institute seems to be further reduction of tariff and regulatory barriers under NAFTA and development of cross-border infrastructure to facilitate shipping. The benefit to New England is access to the port of Halifax, while the benefit to the Atlantic provinces is direct overland access to U.S. markets.