A DYNAMIC TERRITORY

Initiatives, projects, tools, works. Santa Maria da Feira does not slow down and this is the key for its success.

Santa Maria da Feira is a socially and economically developed territory. It is a land of innovation, of export. It is a place where business and industrial parks are located and where there is an incessant attempt to attract investment. If there is an initiative that decisively contributes to the dynamics of the economy, industry and local employment, it is Bizfeira, a project that marks seven years on March 31.

"Bizfeira is clearly the hat for the economic and business development of the territory. It is an extraordinary project, with historical results, I believe that it is unimaginable for most, because it is not a physical work, easy to perceive for outsiders. We talk about an ambitious and transversal project of economic diplomacy, of attracting foreign investment, of economic partnerships, of supporting companies and of promoting internationalization, exports and employability", begins by explaining Emídio Sousa, Mayor of Santa Maria da Feira.

The mayor continues, recalling that the annual conference that has been held since 2014, and which was attended by then Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho at the time of the opening, is the "culmination of each year of work and an important moment of sharing and discussion between companies, public and private organizations, and the academia".

For the past seven years, there are two tools which have been developed in order to support and to promote, as well as to bring the territory closer to new markets: Good Makers magazine, a presentation booklet from Santa Maria da Feira to potential foreign investors; and the Bizfeira digital business platform, with more than two thousand registered companies, created to bring companies and citizens from all over the world closer to Santa Maria da Feira.

Santa Maria da Feira is an appealing municipality. The proof is in the fact that in recent years many multinationals have chosen the territory to settle. Emídio Sousa says that all the international promotion work that has been done along the recent years has put the municipality on the radar of investors and the most relevant partners in attracting investment, such as AICEP and the Chambers of Commerce.

"Whenever we make an international presentation, we gather 40 or 50 investors. We know that, sooner or later, some end up contacting us because they know where we are located, they know the conditions we provide and, above all, they know that the privileged interlocutor will always be the Mayor, and this gives them great confidence to invest in our territory", he guarantees.

According to the Mayor, the investor appreciates and recognizes this ability to accompany and simplify bureaucratic processes. "We know that it is difficult to invest in Portugal, and an international investor who does not know the procedures and does not know how to do it; either he has permanent and close technical support like the one we provide or simply he gives up. And the work we do at this level is intense and committed", he guarantees.

This proximity we have to an investor is a success and is already consolidated. But the future is always looking for, so the question arises. And now? What new investment projects does the Municipality have in mind to implement and develop?

"At the moment, we are very committed to expand our industrial zones as far as possible and we are finalizing the project for the execution of the great industrial axis of the northern zone - the Axis of Corks - which we would like to have completed in this mandate, but it was not possible. We will do everything to make it ready for the next one", he assures.

There will be several investments in the health area. "Today we are already the territory with the best infrastructure for primary health care in the country. It is our intention to build six more buildings for the installation of Family Health Units (FHU) that are already created". Still this year, the construction of the São Paio de Oleiros / Nogueira da Regedoura, Canedo and Milheirós de Poiares FHU can begin. We also have the goal of expanding the Hospital of São Sebastião.

Education is a permanent bet, in promoting the learning of programming languages, in the provision of computers or in the provision of food to children in need, without forgetting the rehabilitation of schools. "This will be, moreover, one of our bets in the next mandate, in addition to the construction of the new Centro Escolar da Feira, in the former EB 2.3 Fernando Pessoa".

Sport will also continue to be a strong bet. "I hope, in the next term, to build an athletics track that will allow training for Olympic competitions, prepared with conditions of excellence. Later this year, in the northeast of the Municipality, the construction of the Municipal Pool of Canedo will move on, being this an equipment of regional interest that will close our investment in swimming pools".

The rehabilitation of the Porto Carvoeiro dock and the urban regeneration of the population's housing nucleus, classified as Aldeia de Portugal, may begin this year.

The revitalization and requalification of Europarque is another great ambition. If everything goes as planned, Europarque will be "the major reference in the metropolitan area for the next 20 years". "That is my ambition and I hope to be able to put it into practice, despite the bureaucracy in our country. My intention is that, in the next mandate, this third phase, much more ambitious than the previous ones, is at least in progress, so that this new city of excellence becomes a reality", wishes Emídio Sousa.