A Strong Economy

Economic development in the Canandaigua area doesn’t follow the traditional model; it’s a little trickier here! Economic development closely follows a path that complements what we have now, is consistent with what we have preserved of our history, and doesn’t interfere with the scenic vistas that are an inherent part of the whole community.

Economic development also involves watching for opportunities. We look for occupants for vacant parcels who will bring to the community something that it needs. We help new businesses find the financing they need and can afford. We help match sellers with buyers. And, always, we work to make sure that the “deal” works for Canandaigua.

New and existing business, property owners, and investors can find a wealth of help as they explore their plan. The Town and City of Canandaigua offer economic development; the City’s Downtown Business Improvement District focuses on the historic Main Street area; the Chamber of Commerce works throughout the Canandaigua area, and Ontario County’s Office of Economic Development and Industrial Development Agency work creatively with projects great and small. We all watch and work together to ensure the right development of our waterfront area, as well as to continue to grow technology in and around our community.

Taking the Canandaigua area as a whole, the diversity of workplace opportunities is remarkable. There are dairy farms whose hired hands are running milking machines, almost literally a stone’s throw from an electronics technician assembling parts in a high-tech clean room. Tourism exists alongside agriculture; local government operates down the street from the healthcare facilities. Major employment in Canandaigua is in these fields.

It’s easy to see, then, how diverse the employment opportunities are in these major areas. But if you want to really understand the diversity of the Canandaigua workplace, you have to add in all the merchants and service providers that make a community work. We’re talking about professionals of all kinds: plumbers, auto mechanics, salesmen, desk clerks, home builders…and the list goes on. When you add it all up, this variety is what makes Canandaigua very self-sufficient.

This is a happy combination: Canandaigua is just big enough that it can (and does) insist on quality shops and services, obtainable locally. And it is small enough to retain the eclectic and historic small-town character we appreciate. It’s also small enough that for a business to be successful, customer service and quality have to be high. Word of mouth in a community our size can make or break an enterprise of any kind. So, we work a little harder to get our work just right!

In short, the Canandaigua economy is strong and ready to respond to the opportunities that time and place present to us, along with being a great place to get quality goods and services!