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WORKFORCEAtlantic Canada has one of the world’s best labour markets, with a skilled workforce of 1.2million people and among the lowest rates of turnover and absenteeism in North America.Atlantic Canada has more post secondary institutions per capita than anywhere else in Canada.As well, more than 200 different training programs are offered through Atlantic Canada’scommunity college network. The result is a highly skilled and educated workforce, aconsiderable portion of which is bilingual in English and French.QUALITY OF LIFEThe cost of living in Atlantic Canada is 25 to 65% lower than that of other major North Americanregions. It has the best Housing Affordability Index in Canada, and property taxes are 30%lower than the Canadian and United States average.Canadian residents enjoy lower direct health care costs as a result of the publicly funded healthinsurance system, which covers a wide range of health, hospital and physician services. Theexistence of this system provides employers with a competitive cost advantage over thosehaving to provide direct funding of private employee health insurance programs.Atlantic Canada is also a very safe environment in which to live and do business, with lowerrates of crime than most other industrialized nations. It offers safe, friendly, family-orientedcommunities, with an abundance of excellent schools, universities and colleges within theregion.INCENTIVESMany of the incentives available in Atlantic Canada take the form of forgivable loans, interestfreerepayable loans, equity participation, or combinations thereof. Training-related incentives,such as in the form of subsidized wages, are also commonly offered in the region.For a detailed survey of available incentive programs in Atlantic Canada, please see theAppendix: Business Incentives.Introduction 9