Twenty-five years ago, a handful of people were getting ready to launch a new East Coast magazine. The mission was to celebrate the values, talents, ingenuity, perspective, and legacy of Atlantic Canadians. It was also a lure for travellers, showcasing the magnificence of the landscape and the land of undiscovered economic opportunity.
Saltscapes would become a different platform for the stories it told. The year was 2000, a significant time as the world marked the beginning of the 21st century. Technology was advancing at an astonishing rate. The Atlantic Canadian economy was starting to recover from a few slumps in the ‘90s, shifting away traditional industries to a more diversified and tech-savvy business and energy sector. Immigration was still slow but communities, like the business sector, were also becoming more diverse, with newcomers changing centuries-old narratives. And if I remember correctly — I was chasing two toddlers around — eyes were directed to a controversial presidential election in the United States.
Fast forward 25 years. Artificial intelligence is advancing exponentially. Our ocean economy has been riding waves of brilliance and innovation in the face of dramatic climate change and other forces of disruption. Immigration has outpaced our ability to keep up with our housing inventory. Tourism has become one of the most important drivers of our regional growth. Our rural communities have become the envy of the world, and our eyes have been glued on a controversial presidential election, but this time one that has challenged our autonomy and could have serious economic consequences.
There has been a rallying cry to pull together. To support local business. To find alternative sources for products and services in the wake of the new tariffs. This call to action has been the song of Saltscapes since our very first issue and is the very formula for the Saltscapes Expo, which brings together hundreds of East Coast makers, growers, artisans, and entrepreneurs under one roof each spring and fall. Our 25 years of story archives, and the thousands of vendors who have participated at our Expos for the last 20 years, are the catalogue of just about anything you could need.
Saltscapes is that local source.
Our federal and provincial governments prepared to retaliate and have made statements about their own procurement programs. At press time, the tariffs were on a short-term pause, but there has been no stop to a powerful unifying moment that could forever change how Canadians trade with other nations and support what we make on our own turf.
We are excited about our continued partnership with Nova Scotia Loyal, a program designed to make it easier to identify and buy local products. We are ready to partner with other regional programs who understand the reach of the Saltscapes audience not just here in Atlantic Canada but coast to coast and in the 52 countries where our readers live.
Whether it’s tariffs or interruptions to our supply chain because of other global events, Atlantic Canada needs to be ready to respond with a confidence that we can take care of our own when we need to and have the goods to share with others. We need to focus more on what we can manufacture in our communities and how we can open and strengthen trade from east to west in our nation while we navigate the choppy waters of the north-south trade relationships.
Atlantic Canadians seize opportunities when times get tough. We are smart. We have grit and we get things done. It’s in our nature, and in the nature of the people who move here, and those who wish they could.
Welcome to the 25th year of Saltscapes. There’s a lot to celebrate.