Atlantic Canada
Mission Trips

Atlantic Canada comprises four of the easternmost provinces in Canada, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, and Quebec to the west. The region spans over 500,000 square kms (193,000 square mi), yet it makes up less than seven percent of Canada's population. It is filled with quaint towns and over 150,000 kms of coastline.

Atlantic Canada is known for its rich history, fresh seafood, rugged coastline, and beautiful landscapes, all with a welcoming maritime culture and distinctly small-town feel. Though the region once had the highest rate of church attendance in Canada, the percentage of the population that is engaged in the local Church has dropped in recent years. Regardless, some of the local churches are still active in their communities and are ready to partner with you!

Atlantic Canada has a mild maritime climate, strongly influenced by the surrounding seas. It is much milder than many inland locations due to warm waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Average temperatures in summer months are in the 80s while winter months average in the 20-30 degree range.English is the predominant language of the region, spoken by more than 90% of residents.

Bilingualism is encouraged by an optional French immersion program in schools, and classroom instruction in French is available (English and French are Canada's two official languages). New Brunswick is Canada’s only official bilingual province. Atlantic Canada has the lowest crime severity index in Canada. As with all of our other locations, your Praying Pelican Missions staff and partners keep your team’s safety as a top priority and work diligently to ensure that your group is in excellent hands.

Logging, mining and fishing/agriculture are the leading industries in Atlantic Canada. Other industries that are booming are forestry, wind power, oil and hydroelectricity. Ocean industries in the Atlantic Provinces account for more than half of all ocean-related jobs in Canada and more than two-thirds of the jobs in Canada’s fishing and aquaculture sectors are in Atlantic Canada.

Today, PEI grows a third of Canada’s potatoes, Nova Scotia is home to the world's largest supplier of frozen wild blueberries, and both New Brunswick and Newfoundland produce petroleum oil, with the largest oil refinery in Canada in Saint John, NB.All Atlantic Canada provinces utilize the Canadian dollar.

Surrounded by the sea, the cuisine of Atlantic Canada naturally emphasizes seafood, including lobsters, scallops, oysters, mussels, clams, crab, and halibut. The area is also known for harvesting potatoes, blueberries, maple syrup, and strawberries.The famous Confederation Bridge – opened in 1997, joins New Brunswick and PEI. The 8-mile-long bridge takes 12 minutes to cross and is the world’s longest bridge over ice-covered water. T

here are also many lighthouses and shorelines to explore, plus vibrant historic towns. PEI is well-known for their red sand and setting of the Anne of Green Gables book series, Nova Scotia for their tall ships and Cape Breton Highlands, New Brunswick for the highest tides in the world and Newfoundland for their unique dialect and friendly charm!

The Atlantic Provinces are the historical territories of the Mi'kmaq, Naskapi, Beothuk and Nunatsiavut peoples. The War of 1812 significantly impacted the provinces of Atlantic Canada where they played crucial roles in naval operations, privateering, and as strategic support bases for the British war effort against the United States. In the last half of the 19th century the region's population grew due to the immigration from Ireland due to the “great potato famine." Saint John and Halifax, both port cities, particularly received a significant influx of Irish immigrants within the region.

The first premier of Newfoundland, coined the term "Atlantic Canada" when the Dominion of Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. The other provinces of Atlantic Canada entered Confederation during the 19th century with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia being founding members of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, and later Prince Edward Island joined in 1873. In the mid-1860s, Prince Edward Island hosted the Charlottetown Conference, which was the first meeting in the process leading to the Quebec Resolutions and the creation of Canada in 1867. As a result of hosting this inaugural meeting, PEI presents itself as the “Birthplace of the Confederation,” which is reflected in the names of many buildings and locations across the province, including the Confederation Bridge.