2020 Economic Recovery Strategy: WESTERN NEW YORK WESTERN NEW YORK REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS Regional Chair Kathy Hochul Lieutenant Governor, New York State Regional Co-Chairs Dr. Katherine Conway-Turner President, SUNY Buffalo State Eric Reich Co-Founder, Campus Labs WNY ESD Amanda Mays Regional Director Angela Panaro Rossi Deputy Regional Director Members Ex-Officio Members Deanna Alterio Brennen Crystal Abers Business Advisor, Niagara County Community College Designee of the Cattaraugus County Chair Small Business Development Center Byron W. Brown AJ Baynes Mayor of Buffalo CEO/President, Amherst Chamber of Commerce Curtis Crandall Paul Brown Chairman, Allegany County Legislature President, Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Mark Poloncarz Dottie Gallagher Erie County Executive President & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership Michael H. Ranzenhofer Dr. Rosa Gonzalez State Senator, 61st District Owner, R Gonzalez Consulting, Inc. Robert Restaino Assistant Professor & Chair of Emergency Mayor of Niagara Falls Management Program, Erie Community College Robin Schimminger Thomas A. Kucharski State Assembly Member, 140th District President & CEO, Invest Buffalo Niagara Eddie Sundquist Brenda W. McDuffie Mayor of Jamestown President & CEO, Buffalo Urban League, Inc. Paul “PJ” Wendel Michael Metzger Chautaqua County Executive VP Finance & Administration, SUNY Fredonia Rebecca Wydysh Mary Beth Popp Chair of Niagara County Legislature Vice President of Corporate Relations, FIFCO USA Stephen Tucker President & CEO, Northland Workforce Training Center Michael Ulbrich Independent Advisor & Consultant Dr. Mark Zupan President, Alfred University Table of Contents I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 4 II. OVERVIEW OF COVID-19 RELATED IMPACTS .................................................................. 6 III. NEEDS AND SHORTFALLS OF REGIONAL ECONOMY ..................................................14 Placemaking ..........................................................................................................................................................16 Workforce ...............................................................................................................................................................18 Tradable Sectors ...................................................................................................................................................22 Innovation ...............................................................................................................................................................30 What specific policies could NYS consider to address our challenges/needs? .................................32 Additional Challenges .........................................................................................................................................37 IV. ENGAGEMENT ....................................................................................................................................40 Work Groups ..........................................................................................................................................................41 Public Outreach and Engagement ...................................................................................................................44 Photo credits .................................................................................................................................................................45 PART ONE Executive Summary WNY will focus recovery and resiliency efforts in three main ways, building upon existing programs already underway and creating new programs when needed: WNY has to fully embrace and immerse itself in technology to prosper in a post-COVID economy. New technology investments will impact all aspects of the region such as public broadband and tools for remote work/remote learning, providing opportunities for reskilling and upskilling unemployed and underemployed workers, smart cities tools, and new opportunities for startups and entrepreneurship. We must commit to investing in those most affected by the pandemic. Our communities of color have borne the brunt of COVID-19’s spread and its economic wake and must be our primary focus. We must ensure access to new technology and training, increased representation in all industry sectors, establish opportunities and pathways for new business ventures, and encourage placemaking investments in all neighborhoods. Our businesses will need our help to become more resilient. Disruptions to the region’s economy resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had measurable impacts on the business community. In order to fully recover we will need to establish new programs and provide resources that provide technical support needed to help achieve a skilled and inclusive workforce, establish clear plans for succession, and understand the need for and how to innovate their businesses in a way that allows them to remain sustainable in the face of future crises. 4 2020 Economic Recovery Strategy Our four pillars are still relevant and we will stay the course while adjusting to the new economy. New York State drives economic growth by Placemaking Innovation Workforce Tradable investing in placemaking, Sectors innovation, our workforce and tradable sectors. PLACEMAKING STILL INNOVATION IS WORKFORCE TRADEABLE NEEDED, BUT MUST CRITICALLY NEEDED DEVELOPMENT WILL SECTORS ARE STILL ACCOMMODATE MORE THAN EVER HAVE TO EXPAND VITAL INDUSTRIES NEW REALITIES AND BROADEN In a world where social Crisis elevates the need Building a future workforce WNY’s key economic distancing is the new for innovative solutions. to fill jobs—through training sectors still provide the normal, our public spaces The COVID-19 pandemic new workers, upskilling and greatest promise to power and built environment are quickly taught us about our reskilling current workers, a comeback, but each more important than ever vulnerabilities regarding and attracting talent to the will require additional and and we must fully address technology—from region—is still a critical need targeted help. Advanced new needs created by the insufficient broadband for the region. However, manufacturing will need a COVID-19 pandemic. First infrastructure, to adapting the pandemic revealed new more coordinated approach and foremost, the right to online communication needs and opportunities. at the state and regional infrastructure—including platforms, and challenges level to bolster emerging high-speed broadband involved in working and Technology training models to generate access for all—is critical in schooing from home. across all tradable sectors skilled workers, facilitate this remote access world. is required. We must succession, and promote New, more flexible models Investing in innovation provide the skilled labor diversity and inclusion. for facilitating work, school, also means ensuring for employers with current Tourism entities need to childcare, and networking, businesses are able to and projected openings pivot to find better ways to must all be implemented adapt to changing norms by better training the promote WNY virtually and in an inclusive, diverse and embrace the use of workforce, and diversify find new ways to access and manner. “Public square” new innovation—employing it through inclusion use the region’s attractions places will continue to new digital and media tools, of underrepresented in a manner that allows be important for respite, incorporating automation populations across all social distancing when provided that measures into business functions, and sectors. Existing training necessary. New focus has to promote safe use are making necessary physical facilities and programs to be placed on regional incorporated, and we must investments to adapt to new had to adapt in the midst agriculture to stem real and incorporate these amenities ways of doing business. of the pandemic to remote perceived food shortages into all neighborhoods. and hybrid systems; these during such crises. In measures could potentially addition, improvements are In addition, realities of the open opportunities to needed in our front-line pandemic could even open expand their reach after health and life sciences new opportunities for use the pandemic. In addition, sector to best coordinate of legacy buildings for if properly facilitated and systems for public health city-to-city remote working promoted, the region’s information, testing, and and collaboration, so we unique assets provide an safety protocols. must be open to new smart opportunity to help attract growth opportunities. workforce talent, both for In turn, the pandemic traditional and remote uncovered opportunities working. for new endeavors in these sectors, such as filling regional supply gaps locally for medical products that had been produced abroad. Western New York 5 PART TWO Overview of Covid-19 Related Impacts This section presents an in-depth look at the impacts of COVID-19 on key economic metrics, target industries, businesses and workers in Western New York. 6 2020 Economic Recovery Strategy Within a single month, COVID-19 changed how we KEY ECONOMIC METRICS work, learn and play, where we travel, and how we BY THE NUMBERS purchase and communicate. It’s not surprising that this virus also disrupted key regional economic indicators in CHANGE 2019-2020 very substantial, unprecedented ways. Between March