The big one is the cost of doing business, but also foreign ownership, and residential land encroachment
The cost of doing business is just one of the challenges faced by businesses in Niagara Falls.
The Niagara Industrial Association also says small businesses might see larger foreign investment as a threat as it could take employees and resources, and there's land encroachment by residential.
The city's Chief Administrative Officer Jason Burgess noted they're protecting newly acquired land near Sodom Road and the QEW. "A lot of people want to convert their employment lands to residential, and then people have challenges getting appropriate sized employment lands to it. So, this council has attempted to support not having those conversions happen as frequently."
The Niagara Industrial Association says anything that helps cash flow is welcome.
Councillor Victor Pietrangelo also referred to land just bought at Sodom Road and the QEW. "We believe strongly in the fact that municipalities need to own industrial land, and to use it as an attractor for businesses to come here. It's a much different story if land is zoned industrial, but yet it's in private hands."
The Industrial Association adds Niagara is being circled on the map more frequently by potential investors.