Introduction - A Message From the Premier

A determined sense of unified provincial purpose is the dominant theme in government’s new economic strategy, Island Prosperity - A Focus for Change.

At its heart, the strategy is all about Islanders - and government’s role in building a brighter and more prosperous future for us all.

As a province, Prince Edward Island has all the building blocks necessary to take a firm step toward a new and exciting future. We are blessed with a hard-working, energetic population which is intensely proud of our entire Island community. We are surrounded by resources that much of the world can only envy. And we are a full and sovereign member in the Canadian family - one of the most successful countries in history.

Our province’s destiny will be determined by the choices we make today. We simply must take advantage of our place in the world in a way that will propel us forward to a new position on the national and global stages.

In brief, the major goals of the plan over the next five years include:

• A nationally recognized center of biotechnology excellence with 2,000 employees
  
  
• An information technology sector that will be recognized for its innovative capacity
  
  
• Continued cultivation of our thriving aerospace industry
  
  
• Increased emphasis on environmentally-friendly energy sources

Island Prosperity - A Focus for Change is a very ambitious plan. It sets forward a disciplined course of action that will offer new opportunities for Islanders - and shift government to far more orderly and accountable decisions on economic investment and direction.

Every element of Island Prosperity - A Focus for Change is strengthened and supported by specific actions, timetables and accountability measures. The unprecedented level of transparency built into the strategy is vitally important - because the plan envisions an investment of approximately $200-million over the next five years. Islanders deserve to know how that money will be spent, and they will.

As a province, we can cast ourselves in a new and brighter light. As a single community, working together on big goals and new ideas, Prince Edward Island is poised to begin a new and innovative chapter in a long, distinguished and proud history. The status quo is unacceptable because yesterday’s path neglects our province’s advantages, strengths and possibilities.

We have the people; we have the tools. And now the work begins.

Premier Robert Ghiz