Gov. Josh Shapiro, in visit to Lehigh Valley, will announce new PA economic development strategy. He says it’s the first in 2 decades.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during the annual Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. meeting Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, in a visit Tuesday morning to an OraSure Technologies’ facility in Bethlehem Township, will unveil the state’s new economic development strategy.

Shapiro announced plans for the statewide strategy — which the administration says is the first one in two decades — in September. Since then, administration officials have held conversations with business owners, economic development organizations, nonprofits, labor and higher education leaders.

“If we are going to be competitive in attracting new businesses and helping Pennsylvania businesses grow, then we need to invest in economic development,” Shapiro said in remarks ahead of Tuesday’s OraSure event.

He said in the last five years, Ohio, New York and New Jersey have committed “far more” resources to economic development than Pennsylvania. Ohio, for example, with 1.5 million fewer residents than Pennsylvania, has provided at least 7 times more economic incentives to encourage businesses to relocate and grow.

“We need to catch up,” Shaprio said, “and I hope my colleagues in the General  Assembly will work with me to make that happen.” His Feb. 6 budget address to lawmakers will call for “significant investments” tied to the economic development plan, according to the release.

In a March appearance at Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp’s annual meeting, Shapiro said the state welcomes new and existing business. In addition, one of his goals has been to think of state agencies as “one economic driver” made available to anyone who wants to do business.

Among those expected to join Shapiro are Don Cunningham, president and CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., and Carrie Eglinton Manner, president and CEO of OraSure. The event is not scheduled for OraSure’s headquarters in south Bethlehem but rather at a warehouse used by the company off Route 191 in Lehigh Valley Industrial Park V. The company makes medical-diagnostic products, including an at-home COVID-19 test.

The state’s strategy includes focusing on life sciences and manufacturing among five key sectors. The others are agriculture, energy, and robotics and technology.

The state’s new website related to economic development, pagetsitdone.com, is scheduled to go online Tuesday.

Check back throughout the day for updates and full coverage of the event.

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