Atlantic Canada certification program connects international companies to local landowners
Monday, April 4, 2022
by Sarah Poko
Canada is the fastest growing country in the G7, with more and more international companies looking to expand their business here. While this is an incredible opportunity for landowners across the country, there is one way that Atlantic Canada landowners can get ahead of the competition — certified site designations through the Atlantic Canada Certified Sites program.
Daniel Dooks, Atlantic Canada regional director of Invest in Canada explains how certified sites mean faster turnaround times, quicker approvals, and lower risk for investors.
“As Canada’s national investment promotion agency, Invest in Canada uses the Certified Sites program to help international companies identify properties in Atlantic Canada that meet their specific needs,” says Dooks. “Having certified sites pre-vetted using established real estate industry standards, and deemed investment-ready, saves companies time and resources during their site selection process.”
With the Atlantic Canada Certified Sites program, landowners in the region can get ahead of the competition.
The program has been steadily gaining momentum since it was launched in the fall of 2020, with federal and provincial funding through the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement. The Atlantic Canada Certified Sites program sets consistent standards for the certification of development-ready sites, putting in place all the key reviews, documents, and assessments most required for investors and site selectors.
“We want the world to know Atlantic Canada is ready for investment,” says Joe Brennan, manager for the Atlantic Canada Certified Sites program.
Properties that receive a certified site designation have successfully met a set of pre-defined program requirements, commonly used in the commercial and industrial real estate sectors.
When a site becomes certified, it is an official acknowledgement the site is suitable and ready for development, creating a roster of quality properties for investors.
As of today, 42 landowners have applied for the program and eight properties have been granted certification, with more coming on stream very soon. “This initiative is beneficial to the long-term success of the region. We want more landowners to proactively become development-ready by certifying their sites,” says Brennan.
For landowners, becoming part of the Atlantic Canada Certified Site network is an official acknowledgement your site is suitable and development-ready for investors.
Chris Steele, Economic Development Principal at EBP US, says certified sites are the future of the business landscape in Atlantic Canada.
“In a world where companies need to move fast, readiness is key,” he explains. “By better understanding the needs of specific business types, the region is using the Certified Sites program to ensure that there are sites with pre-qualified, adequate, and appropriate land in proximity to the thing these businesses will need to thrive, and to the mutual benefit of business and community. The Atlantic Canada Certified Sites program is a key tool in ensuring this.”
Certified sites are marketed through an advertising program to a targeted group of site selection consultants and investors around the world, who are looking for excellent, turnkey properties. Certified listings are promoted throughout Canada, the Eastern United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, to name a few.
For landowners, becoming part of the Atlantic Canada Certified Site network not only helps properties get exposure, but it also provides potential investors with the key data and property information they need to speed up site selection and break ground on new development projects efficiently.
The digital application process is easy to complete, and for the one-time fee of $500, landowners can apply to get their sites assessed, certified, and promoted directly to investors around the globe.
Have a site that’s ready for immediate development? Want to attract the interest of serious investors and site selectors from around the world? Visit Atlantic Canada Certified Sites and show the world the potential of your sites.
For more information on the Atlantic Canada Certified Sites program or to apply, please visit our website at atlanticcanadacertifiedsites.com, or email inquiries to Joe Brennan at Joe.brennan@cbdc.ca.