• Vision
• Goals & Objectives

In the past several decades, the Boston region has transformed itself from an economy based primarily on traditional manufacturing to one based on innovation, the development and commercial application of new technologies and related health, education and professional services. Our future prosperity is tied to the region’s capacity to remain a global competitive center of innovation, technology and advanced services while ensuring diverse and rewarding opportunities for the region’s labor force. Supported by strong schools, a skilled workforce, a high quality of life, and supporting infrastructure, Metro Boston will be globally competitive in the knowledge economy. The region will remain a leader in key sectors such as medicine and technology. The region’s unparalleled clusters of universities and hospitals will continue to grow and will create a thriving economy of supporting firms in research, product development, and high-value manufacturing.

The region will not simply rely on its existing economic strengths, but will find new niches and opportunities for leadership. In particular,  the region will be a national leader in the green technology and clean energy sectors, from development through manufacturing and application. Widespread local application of locally-developed technologies will help “green-tech” businesses to grow rapidly and become national leaders. Small business owners and entrepreneurs will play a major role in the region’s economy and innovation. Entrepreneurship will be a hallmark of the new economy. Small businesses will have the freedom and support they need to be flexible and innovative, quickly adapting to changing national or local economic conditions. While small businesses will not individually generate as much income as larger businesses, in the aggregate they will play a major role. The regional emphasis on compact growth in or near existing town and city centers creates new retail and service opportunities that small businesses can capitalize on.

MetroFuture concentrates economic growth in certain areas and decreases economic development potential in areas slated for preservation. Businesses would find many development opportunities, if fewer total acres of undeveloped commercially zoned land. They would also find greater certainty regarding expeditious permitting of appropriate projects consistent with land use plans and design guidelines. As a result, businesses will grow expeditiously thanks to consistent and predictable economic development policies set by an informed public sector. Businesses would have a better sense of what is expected—and what to expect from the public sector—so they would make more informed decisions and will spend less time in permitting. The region will capture economic growth more readily than under the current system.

While Metro Boston will still not have the low costs of other regions, it will retain the most significant factor in attracting businesses here: a world-class workforce. A strong supply of educated and skilled workers—of all ages—will encourage businesses to locate and expand here. Better housing choices and a high and quality of life will attract and retain professionals. More recent graduates will choose to stay here, more workers will find it worthwhile to move to the region, seniors will find attractive options for remaining in the workforce, and a welcoming environment will attract educated foreign workers. The region will not focus solely on attracting or retaining existing skilled workers, however. It will also have to invest in the education and training of residents, to create a new generation of skilled and versatile workers. Stronger public school systems throughout the region will prepare students for secondary education and participation in the workforce. As a result, there will be a much stronger supply of workers that have graduated from high school, community college, or targeted job-training programs.

The most significant improvements in educational attainment and workforce preparedness will be among those groups that currently have the fewest economic opportunities. High quality urban schools and partnerships with businesses and institutions will provide the mostly Non-White urban youth population with many more economic opportunities. Employment will be concentrated in urban areas and urban revitalization will be managed so that it creates economic opportunities for surrounding residents, homeowners and businesses. As a result, more minority and immigrant workers will have opportunities to advance on the career ladder, acquire assets, and build wealth. A growing Black, Hispanic, and Asian middle class will be a positive and powerful economic force as families purchase homes and spend more money in local business districts.

Access to economic opportunity will not be limited to those residents who have graduated from college. All residents of the region would find fewer barriers to finding and keeping a job. With assistance and reform, more workers will participate in the labor force, earning a living wage through secure employment. Residents of the region would encounter fewer barriers to entering the workforce at all levels, including single parents with greater access to affordable childcare, recent immigrants receiving the language training they need, and former prisoners given the chance to re-enter the workforce. As a result, employers will find an adequate supply of lower skilled workers, the region will spend less money on unemployment and public assistance, and there will be lower rates of recidivism. There would also be less disparity in labor force participation rates by race or education. Employment opportunities at the lowest skill levels would create opportunities for many of the region’s poorest households. Workers will also have greater access to housing opportunities, education, and social services; as a result, 40 fewer of the region’s residents will live in poverty.

Regional economic growth will bring more than monetary benefits to the region’s residents. New business-civic partnerships will make the region more competitive, and residents will benefit from strong growth in sectors that also contribute to quality of life. Corporations and institutions will see civic engagement and sustainability as central to their own success. More businesses will factor regional impacts into their decision-making; and will advance the goals of MetroFuture through their actions. Businesses and corporations will participate in local and regional planning; charitable giving, sponsorships, and partnerships will bring more resources to the region’s nonprofit sector; and the private sector will take a leading role in energy and water conservation, helping the region prepare for global challenges.

While agriculture and food-related businesses do not constitute a dramatic share of the region’s economy, they provide a host of ancillary benefits. The region’s agricultural economy will grow through a focus on sustainable farming and by bringing more locally produced foods to the market. Environmental and health concerns and culinary tastes are building interest in locally grown food, and Metro Boston’s new generation of farmers and small businesses would profit from this interest. Programs and financing will encourage environmentally sensitive growing practices and environmental improvements in farm buildings and land. Creative programs will increase the supply of farm labor and financing available for new entry farmers and farmers wishing to make investments in their business. With a shift to higher value products and more efficient distribution systems, farmers would realize higher revenues and their operations would be more sustainable. Consumers will find more outlets for local produce. As food prices rise generally due to transportation costs, local food will become more competitively priced. A stronger agricultural economy means that more farmland will remain open space, helping to preserve the region’s character.

More people will take advantage of the region’s artistic and cultural resources. The region will be an exciting place to live, with access to museums, music, artist districts, and nightlife. This rich cultural tapestry would attract tourists and will help attract and retain talented workers and entrepreneurs who are critical to the knowledge economy. It would also contribute to the development of creative thinking and skills necessary for success in the 21st century economy. Access to arts and culture will help to attract and retain the well-educated workforce critical to the knowledge economy.