BR+E Study Report
BR+E Action Plan Roadmap
Business Retention + Expansion (BR+E)
The Town of Hanover’s Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) initiative is a strategic, action‑oriented approach to strengthening the local economy by working directly with businesses.
Through the BR+E process, Hanover gathers input from the business community to better understand needs, opportunities, and challenges—and uses those insights to guide economic development priorities and actions.
Project Overview
Hanover has completed a full BR+E cycle, including:
- Business outreach and engagement
- A comprehensive business survey
- Analysis of local business conditions
- Development of an action-focused roadmap
This work ensures that the Town’s economic development efforts are informed by real business experience and focused on measurable outcomes.
2026 BR+E Study
In 2025, the Town engaged 61 businesses across a range of sectors to better understand the local business climate, including opportunities for growth, investment, and long-term success.
The results provide a clear, data-driven snapshot of Hanover’s business community and form the foundation for current and future initiatives.
What We Heard
Feedback from the BR+E survey and engagement process highlighted a number of consistent themes:
Opportunities
- Strong interest in business growth, expansion, and investment
- Interest in increased collaboration and networking
- Opportunities for shared promotion and local procurement
Challenges
- Workforce availability and skills gaps
- Housing availability for employees and business owners
- Limited commercial and industrial space
- Rising operating costs and economic uncertainty
- Navigating permits, approvals, and available supports
- Downtown operational considerations such as access and visibility
Key Priorities
- Workforce attraction and skills development
- Easier access to business supports and municipal processes
- Business succession and continuity planning
- Stronger collaboration across the business community
Action Plan Roadmap
Building on these findings, Hanover has developed a Business Retention + Expansion Action Plan Roadmap that translates business input into clear, coordinated actions.
The roadmap focuses on:
- Strengthening connections between businesses and support services
- Improving the ease of doing business in Hanover
- Supporting business growth, investment, and continuity
- Enhancing collaboration, networking, and shared promotion
- Preparing for future workforce and space needs
Priority Focus Areas
- Workforce Attraction & Skills Development
- Business Support & Navigation
- Housing Enablement (with a workforce lens)
- Succession Planning & Business Continuity
- Collaboration, Networking & Shared Promotion
- Space Readiness & Supply Chain Support
Key Actions
- Workforce outreach and partnership development
- Business networking, peer learning, and collaboration opportunities
- Enhanced business promotion and visibility initiatives
- Local procurement and business-to-business connections
- Improved access to permits, approvals, and funding supports
- Succession planning awareness and support
- Coordination of programs, services, and communications
Measuring Progress
- Participation in programs and initiatives
- Increased collaboration within the business community
- Improved access to supports and reduced barriers
- Workforce connections and employer engagement
- Business continuity and succession activity
Building on Previous Work
This work builds on previous BR+E studies (2009, 2015, and 2021), confirming long-standing priorities while moving forward with a stronger focus on implementation and coordinated action.
Get Involved
Local businesses and community partners are encouraged to get involved as initiatives are implemented.
For more information or to participate, please contact Economic Development.