Oct. 31, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Call it a year of opportunity for Canton.

That’s how Jeff Tanner, executive director of the Canton Economic Development Corporation, describes how 2022 has treated the Lincoln County community.

“It’s been a year of opportunity, and I think we’ve done a good job seizing it,” he said. “We’re running with it in commercial, industrial and housing development, and I think Canton Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation really grabbed the bull by the horns and have been persistent in building relationships, and as a result, we have multiple businesses locating here and investing here.”

The latest is Decker Sales, which will break ground Nov. 10 on 5 acres in the Canton Industrial Park on a 33,600-square-foot facility.

The new business, owned jointly by Leonard Decker of Dakota Steel & Trim and his family, will focus on the repair of heavy machinery. Upon opening, Decker Sales will bring nearly 10 full-time jobs to Canton, with the plan to employ nearly 20 upon full build-out.

The land and its adjoining parcels were developed by the Canton Economic Development Corporation. Decker Sales will be joining a well-established industrial park that already hosts businesses such as Adams Thermal Systems, Terex Bid-Well, Johnson Feed Inc. and Wit Trucking.

“It’s been exciting and rewarding to see the progress being made in Canton,” said Jesse Fonkert, president and CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. “This is the latest example of what can happen when you lead with collaboration and community in mind.”

And it’s likely not the last news you’ll be hearing from Canton in the coming months. We caught up with Tanner to learn more about the year’s developments and what might be ahead.

Earlier this year, you reported significant commercial activity and record numbers joining the chamber. Are you continuing to see new businesses pursuing locations in Canton? And what kind of response have your existing ones found from the community?

We have multiple leads still coming in with meetings planned over the next several weeks, which is a pleasant surprise because of the way things are moving in the economy. But we continue to gain traction in commercial, industrial and housing. We’re benefiting from being close to Sioux Falls, but also I think there’s an added benefit of being far enough away that you feel a little more disconnected, although you still have the ability to get to the city easily.

We have multiple new retailers and service businesses finding success in our community, and longer-term businesses like the Sioux Valley Grille got through COVID and continue to draw people to Canton, which is a nice message to be able to share with other businesses.

Housing has been a key goal for the community for years, and you’re making some big progress in that direction. What kind of need do you see for residential growth, and what kind of interest are you experiencing from developers?

We did a housing study a year ago that said we can absorb 150 units right now. We’re working with a developer on a joint venture for a 64-acre housing development next to the golf course in Canton. At least 50 of those acres will be developable, and our developer would like to see up to 275 units if demand is there. We think that will be a combination of starter homes, step-up homes, the third tier of housing, villa-style homes and maybe even condominiums. The goal is to appeal to several demographics, and I feel comfortable we’re going to appeal to folks looking to relocate from Sioux Falls for a quieter lifestyle. We’re not far from being able to share more information, and I think you’ll begin seeing homes go up next year.

Are you continuing to experience demand from new residents, and what do you think is driving that?

Demand continues to be high. There are still folks coming in; I just heard from a couple last week living in Sioux Falls that’s from Colorado. They moved because of the influx of people there, and they visited here and fell in love with the area and have been going from town to town looking for where to buy a home. I think ultimately they will end up relocating to Canton once our housing development is complete.

What future growth opportunities do you anticipate for Canton? Are there some gaps within the community that would be good to fill?

With the latest manufacturing deal, we have approximately 10 to 15 acres left in our industrial park, plus additional interest. So we’re aggressive right now in seeking out more land.

When it comes to other gaps, I look at downtown revitalization. That has to be high on the priority list. We’ve added nice businesses downtown that are refurbishing spaces, but there are a number of buildings down there that need some love, and my hope is as a community we can come together and recognize that and determine a way to address it.

I can tell you as we move forward, I’m overwhelmed by the support and encouragement I’ve gotten from economic development leaders in Sioux Falls. Bob Mundt at the Development Foundation has been very supportive of what we’re doing here, and Jesse Fonkert at Sioux Metro Growth Alliance has been very influential in helping us out. He’s constantly asking me what we need help with, and just for them to come alongside me is huge.

New businesses start adding up in Canton – with more to come