Canopy Realtor® Association EXPO Publishes Podcast Link to Regional Growth Impact Panel Discussion

From REBIC

You may have noticed the extra frequency of transportation conversations and many end up in our 2 For Tuesday articles. That’s because any proper land use discussion around residential or commercial development depends upon the successful expansion of good transportation plans. The huge and bi-partisan supported Transportation Referendum (Refresh your knowledge by reviewing the CRBA PDF document which itemizes the funding and goals of the Referendum) will be on the November ballot but educating ourselves on all relevant planning and growth narratives is very important. We share Canopy Realtor® Association EXPO Panel Podcast link.

At this year’s Canopy Realtor® Association EXPO, Charlotte Ledger executive editor Tony Mecia moderated a panel of regional leaders who discussed in detail what growth means for communities across the Carolinas — and how local chambers and business alliances are responding.

The panel featured Kit Cramer of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Tracy Dodson of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, and Dean Faile of the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce. The panel discussed:

• Why 157 people a day are moving into the Charlotte region — and who they are
• How migration patterns from New York, Florida, California and beyond are reshaping communities
• The strain growth is putting on infrastructure, from roads to schools to utilities
• The role of local government, policy changes, and public–private partnerships in expanding housing affordability
• The tension between community push back (some refer to it as NIMBYism), and the urgent need for more housing stock
• Strategies to strengthen regional cooperation across counties and state lines
• The outlook for jobs, workforce development and innovation in the next 5–10 years
• This episode is a recording from the economy and economic development panel at the Canopy EXPO at the Charlotte Convention Center on Sept. 9, 2025.

Rob’s Take: This year’s Canopy EXPO was a huge success with nearly 1,000 in attendance. The particular panel we are highlighting here was my absolute favorite part of the program. I’m amazed whenever I think about the incredible opportunities we have in this region. What we really need is more engagement and less apathy. Competition between cities to increase economic development opportunities is getting more and more fierce. If we let our guard down and don’t continue to be competitive, companies and jobs will go elsewhere. A big part of remaining a part of the conversation when businesses consider relocating or expanding is making sure workers can afford a place to live and are able to get from where they are to where they need to be. Passage of the Transportation Referendum on November 4th would send the message that we are in fact, open for business.