1971: An Atlantic Canadian First

Atlantic Hardchrome, the region's first hard chrome plating facility, was founded in 1971. The company's Burnside facility expanded its reach soon after from heavy equipment repairs to the provision of a full range of industrial rebuilding, machining, manufacturing and plating services across sectors as diverse as marine, industrial, pulp and paper, forestry and offshore.

2002: Burnside Campus Expansion

In 2002, Atlantic Hardchrome added an entire Computerized Numerical Control department to its Burnside manufacturing and repair facility, as well as extensive new plating capabilities and Non-destructive Testing inspection. This expansion increased the company's campus to more than 35,000 square feet.

2022: Large Machining Investment

Atlantic Hardchrome substantially increased Eastern Canada’s machining capacity with the installation of a 14,000 lb-capacity CNC lathe and a 44,000 lb-capacity CNC horizontal mill. These two acquisitions will attract much bigger projects and allow them to stay in Atlantic Canada.

1967: Move to Burnside

In 1967, Maritime Paper moved from its original location on Almon Street in Halifax to the ten-acre site we call home today in Burnside. The company also purchased a new corrugator, along with the first three-colour printer slotter in Canada. Since then, the plant has gone through several equipment upgrades and expansions.

2009: High-Speed Flexo Investment

As markets appeared to shift following the recession, Maritime Paper recognized a critical time to invest by installing a four-colour, high-speed flexo printer. The Bobst 618 was capable of converting up to 26,000 cartons per hour. This targeted investment for high-volume orders would allow for setups while the machine was running and automated stacking. It would print, fold, glue, and stack an entire pallet in under one minute.

2021: Celebrating 90 Years in Business

Maritime Paper Products was established in 1931 by three Halifax businessmen, Colonel S. C. Oland, W.H.C Schwartz, and J.R. Cullen. The company originated from a need for corrugated containers in the brewery industry, and while we continue to fill this need today, we also service over 700 customers with 16,000+ customized products. After 90 years of success, we continue to be well established throughout Atlantic Canada and in the countries we ship to around the world!

1969: Nova Scotia’s First "Garage" Start-Up

After immigrating from the UK to St. Margaret’s Bay, Dennis Covill and his two close associates started Nautel. Nautel sprang to life in the tiny fishing village of Hackett’s Cove; Covill and the first employees built a wooden structure that would become Nautel’s initial factory on a piece of Dennis’ land. It has expanded more than seven times since then. 

1982: Entering the Broadcast Industry

For years, Nautel attended US broadcasting shows to promote their designs and sometimes faced ridicule at the “preposterous” idea that transistors could replace tubes for broadcasting. A new generation of transistors gave Nautel the opportunity to launch robust transmitters for radio stations named the AMPFET series. Many of these transmitters are still on the air 40 years later.

2018: Entering the Sonar Amplifier Space

Nautel, together with General Dynamics, was selected to upgrade and maintain underwater sensors on the Halifax-class frigates for the Royal Canadian Navy. Not unlike the determined foray into the radio broadcast industry 40 years earlier, Nautel is entering a new space where our designs can be harnessed to satisfy customers worldwide.

1983-2022: IWK Foundation Support

2022 marks RBC’s 39th year of supporting the IWK Foundation. As one of two organizations that have been there since day one, RBC employees are proud fundraisers and donors of the IWK. The RBC IWK Employee Cabinet, made up of nine team members from across the Maritimes, has led initiatives that have raised over $3.5 million over 39 years.

2010: Halifax Business Awards

The integral role that entrepreneurs and innovators play in our communities should be recognized. This is one of the reasons RBC joined as Presenting Sponsor of the Halifax Business Awards in 2010. In addition to celebrating the finalists and winners, RBC helps nominees through the application process with workshops that feature previous winners who share their experiences and best practices.

2022: Atlantic Newcomer Specialist Team

Everyone plays a role in welcoming and supporting newcomers in our region. This belief is one of the principles behind the RBC Atlantic Newcomer Specialist team. Liliane Saad, Vasuki Samir, and Tieming Wang provide advice and services to newcomers throughout the Maritimes, setting them up for success in the part of Canada they now call home.

1954: Stantec Founded in Edmonton

Dr. Don Stanley launched Stantec in 1954. Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Stantec transformed from a one-person firm into a company with close to 30 employees working on major projects extending across Alberta and into British Columbia. Stantec now has 400 offices across six continents and more than 26,000 employees. The firm’s presence in Atlantic Canada features eight offices across the east coast, including Dartmouth and Sydney in Nova Scotia.

2021: Sustainability Pledge

In early 2021, Stantec was named the fifth most sustainable company in the world — the first in North America — by Corporate Knights. Further reinforcing its commitment to sustainability, the company also pledged its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2022 as a first step in achieving net zero operations by 2030. In doing so, Stantec continues to demonstrate leadership in aligning its goals to the ambitious Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

2022: APEC Report Recognizes Stantec

In February 2022, a report from the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council highlighted Stantec’s focus on diversity and inclusion. The report spotlighted some of Stantec’s initiatives in the region, like Stantec’s Unconscious Bias Training and Employee Resource Groups in Atlantic Canada. Stantec has also committed to an annual $200,000 Stantec Equity & Diversity Scholarships program to support underrepresented and BIPOC communities in their studies in STEAM fields.