NIRPC adopts plan to protect against future economic disruptions

A plan to improve Northwest Indiana’s economy, and to make it more resilient to disruptions like the recent COVID-19 pandemic, was adopted Thursday by the regional planning agency.

It calls for improving the region’s infrastructure, attracting and retaining more skilled workers, and expanding the regional economy by growing businesses of all sizes.

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission hired TIP Strategies Inc., of Austin, Texas, last year to prepare the plan. TIP Strategies also helped develop the Ignite the Region plan adopted in 2018 by the Northwest Indiana Forum.

Denarie Kane, coordinator of NIRPC’s Economic Development District, summarized the new Economic Development and Resilience Plan for NIRPC members.

The plan notes that the region’s challenges include slow population growth in Lake and LaPorte counties, relatively low education levels in the same two counties, and job growth that has lagged behind population growth.

Read more…