Economic development highlights trade outreach, asks $150,000 for Montreal contract and urges repeal of VEGI sunset
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Summary
Economic development presenters described international trade outreach (a Montreal‑based contractor), a $150,000 biennial ask for export lead generation, urged repeal of the VEGI sunset, and summarized job‑training and brownfields leveraging efforts.
Representatives from ACCD’s Economic Development unit briefed the committee on trade, job training and investment incentives. Lyle Judson, introduced as Commissioner for Economic Development, requested $150,000 ($75,000 per year over two years) to continue a relationship with a Montreal firm (referred to in testimony as CIDEP/CIDEP) that provides lead generation and business recruitment.
Judson said the state has a five‑year agreement and that the department will provide a performance report to the committee. "We have an agreement with them, so they work specifically with Vermont and for lead generation," he said and offered to supply the committee with a list of companies that have engaged with the program and any return‑on‑investment data.
Speakers also urged legislative action on the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI), including repeal of its scheduled sunset, arguing VEGI remains one of the few economic development tools in the state toolbox. Staff discussed the Vermont Training Program (VTP) — roughly 15,000 seats historically — and noted program rules that historically limited which employers qualified; department staff said they would produce more detailed evaluations and reports at the committee’s request.
Judson and others described tax increment financing (TIF) activity and the use of brownfields and other grants to leverage redevelopment, and pointed to a $25 million Northern Border Regional Commission award focused on infrastructure as a continuing federal source for projects.