More than one in five Atlantic Canadians say a family member has left the region in the past five years because they could not find suitable work, according to new federal research that also found widespread pessimism about the region's long-term economic prospects.Blacklock's Reporter says the survey, commissioned by the federally appointed Atlantic Economic Panel, found 21% of respondents had a relative move away from Atlantic Canada in search of employment.The highest rate was recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador at 25%, followed by Nova Scotia at 21%, New Brunswick at 20% and Prince Edward Island at 12%.When asked about the region's future prosperity, only 41% of respondents believed Atlantic Canada would eventually become about as prosperous as the rest of the country, while 44% said it would remain less prosperous.Opinion was also divided on employment opportunities for younger people. While 45% agreed there are growing job opportunities for young people in Atlantic Canada, 47% disagreed.Respondents were similarly split over the region's economic independence. Half said they were not confident Atlantic Canada could grow its economy and rely less on equalization payments in the future, compared with 47% who expressed confidence. Another 3% had no opinion..The findings come from a survey of 1,000 residents across the four Atlantic provinces conducted by Ottawa-based Elemental Data Collection Inc. at a cost of $29,751. The polling was commissioned by the Atlantic Economic Panel, a seven-member business advisory group established by the federal government in November to identify barriers to economic growth in the region.Attorney General Sean Fraser said at the panel's launch that its recommendations would help governments and the private sector make the right spending decisions to create jobs and strengthen communities.“We want Atlantic Canadians to get their fair share of the opportunities coming to our region,” Fraser said. “They will produce a report that will help guide both governments and the private sector in making the right spending to grow good jobs and strengthen our communities. The work cannot fall to government alone.”Asked to compare today's job market with conditions 10 years ago, 48% of respondents said employment opportunities had worsened, while 24% said conditions were about the same.Despite concerns over employment and economic growth, 65% of respondents said they remained personally optimistic about Atlantic Canada's future. Optimism was highest in Prince Edward Island at 82%, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador at 66%, Nova Scotia at 65% and New Brunswick at 62%..The survey also found broad support for expanding natural resource development across the region.A majority of respondents, 58%, backed expanded offshore oil exploration, including 75% in Newfoundland and Labrador. Support was even higher for offshore natural gas development at 62%, while 63% supported expanding onshore natural gas production.Respondents also supported increased forestry activity (65%), critical mineral mining (66%), fish farming (67%), tidal power (67%), aerospace and military contracting (70%), hydroelectric expansion in Labrador (71%), wind energy (73%) and solar power (86%).Nuclear power received the weakest support among the major energy sources, with only 43% backing expansion. Even in New Brunswick, home to the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, support stood at just 45%.
