The MP for Acadie-Bathurst says more businesses in New Brunswick could benefit from the Halifax shipbuilding spinoff if they had government help.

NDP member Yvon Godin said his area has seen mill and mine closures, a drop in fish production, and the outflow of workers to western Canada.

He said cuts to funding and jobs at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency are an added blow.

"That's not the time to cut ACOA. It's the time to put money in it to make sure our small businesses can adapt themselves to those new jobs. To put it in the training, training our people, make sure our people can do jobs in machine shops down home. That would be the super, real right time to do it," Godin said.

ACOA Minister Bernard Valcourt said the government took "proactive measures" to make sure businesses in the area could benefit from the contract.

In a statement the agency said it organized 11 information sessions throughout Atlantic Canada to teach businesses about marine and defence supply chains to stay competitive.

Statistics Canada calculations indicate that for every $1,000 spent in Nova Scotia's shipbuilding sector, New Brunswick would gain $11.

Halifax's Irving Shipbuilding is getting the $25-billion contract to build 21 Canadian combat ships, however those contracts are still being drawn up.