I am often asked about what incentives or funding assistance programs are available from the city. It is, by the way, a good question to ask. Most business start-up and relocation decisions are expensive and any financial assistance available to cut costs helps.

The City of Canton has an extensive list of incentives strategically designated for disinvested, underinvested, or underdeveloped parts of town. Canton’s incentive information is also listed on the city’s website and in our recently published ‘Canton Community Profile.’ In case you have questions about what incentives we have; here is a brief summary of them.

2015 begins with a few significant changes and unknowns. The Painted Pig closed its doors in January (but their management team is still going strong serving up great food at The Study). The Jones Building has yet to see a buyer, and our Main Street Director, Meghan Griffin, who has done an outstanding job leading the program since 2013, is leaving.

Canton is becoming a walkable city. Walkability means friendliness for pedestrian activity. To promote pedestrian activity there must be connectivity.

People desire walkable places and accessibility. While metro Atlanta is doing its part to catch up, research shows that more and more people and employers are choosing places where many of life’s necessities are in walking distance. What makes for a desirable, walkable place is accessibility to employment, housing, recreation, education, and other services within a, give or take, 20-minute walk. Walks are safe, useful, and productive.

Canton is a place where entrepreneurship happens. From those occupying storefronts to online businesses, to home-based businesses, to part-time entrepreneurs, we are home to a wide variety of locally owned and operated businesses.

It is not by accident that locally owned businesses in Canton witness new growth and expansions. In 2014, Canton saw 11 locally owned and operated businesses open per month.

Canton is home to more than 1,196 businesses and 11,847 jobs — and both areas are growing.

Retention, keeping a business in the community, says just as much about the business as it does the community. Much like how customer retention is important to a private operation, business retention to a community reflects stability and trust, and invites the potential for more growth.

November is here and the holiday season is quickly approaching. During this season we not only reflect on how grateful we are but also begin thinking about shopping for holiday gifts for our loved ones. As holiday shopping moves upward on our priority lists, we should all keep local businesses in mind.

End-of-the-year shopping, especially during the holiday season, is crucial for many businesses. The National Retail Federation reports that holiday sales account for approximately 40 percent of most stores' annual sales. The Saturday after Thanksgiving has been dubbed "Small Business Saturday" by American Express.

Our city, and community, is at an exciting time in its history.

The economy is bouncing back. New businesses are opening, existing businesses are expanding their outreach, jobs are being created, and new construction is taking place every day.

Our community is growing and is poised to continue that trend. Growth and development occur due to certain elements that encourage their presence.

Three of those encouraging elements are what I call the "Three I's of Economic Development." These three factors are not the defining solutions to economic growth; however, growth often does not happen without them.

We have some exciting plans in the works from our Economic Development office at the City of Canton.  

One is an Urban Redevelopment Plan, which is a tool used by local governments to stimulate private investment in areas of need. It includes an assessment of the existing conditions and an implementation plan. Adopting an Urban Redevelopment Plan is an essential step in getting tax credits through the Opportunity Zone program designated by the Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs and other sources of funding.