lifeinaction
DoingBusinessinCarlsbad

 

OIED work 125

 OIED commuter 125 OIED life 3 125

 

Workforce development &
small-business assistance

Carlsbad Commuter app

Carlsbad Life in Action Recruiter

Useful resources 

Looking to start your own business? Our questionnaire is designed to link small businesses with local resources, providing information to tackle some of the top challenges prospective small businesses commonly face. Be sure to check out our 10 Key Steps to ensuring your new business will have success!

The Guide to Opening an Eating Establishment provides insight on where you can open an eating establishment in our city and how the process works. Useful information for food truck and sidewalk vendors can be found on our website as well. 

New state and local environmental regulations are being phased in over the next couple of years. Find information on these regulations, as well as resources for your staff and customers, on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle page.

Doing business

The economic development team is here to serve and support the city’s business community. Whether you are a small business or our largest tech employer, the city wants to make sure your business thrives in Carlsbad. The city team is here to help with getting your business license, bidding on projects and contracts or meeting with our development services team about permits and processes. You can learn more about the benefits of starting or expanding a business in Carlsbad at our Doing Business in Carlsbad story map. If you are a business looking for a new space in Carlsbad, please email economic development staff at business@carlsbadca.gov.

Talent attraction & retention

One of the City Council’s strategic focus areas is bringing quality jobs to the city in today’s globally competitive economy. Carlsbad's Life In Action initiative is a resource for employers looking to land that perfect candidate. It provides additional tools, such as a hiring toolkit with media assets, brochures and infographics, to make the case for why the job in Carlsbad is the right one. 

Your Business Feedback

We encourage ongoing feedback from the business community. Please visit our resourcing and feedback survey to share your thoughts or reach out directly with any questions or additional comments. 

For any questions related to the survey, please contact our economic development team at business@carlsbadca.gov. 

Thank you for your participation and continued engagement in making Carlsbad a great place to do business! 

Economic Development Strategic Plan

Carlsbad Economic Development Strategic Plan

Economic Snapshots

Carlsbad Economic Snapshot FY 2022-2023 Q3

Connect with us

Carlsbad has a range of options for businesses to establish, grow and thrive. If you are ready to learn more about doing business along the creative coast or have general questions about doing business in our city, contact the Innovation & Economic Development Department at business@carlsbadca.gov. 

News headlines

Strategic Plan progress

Post Date:02/27/2025 9:00 AM

The City of Carlsbad is now halfway through carrying out its first 5-Year Strategic Plan, a framework the City Council developed to guide major initiatives while maintaining high-quality city services.  

A new progress report presented to the City Council this week highlights steady progress on all five strategic goals and significant headway on 65 priority projects. This review will help ensure funding decisions align with the city’s long-term projects when it comes to developing the draft budget for next fiscal year.  

Adopted in October 2022 with inspiration from the Carlsbad Community Vision, the Strategic Plan outlines five key goals that continue to shape the city’s work: 

  • Maintain Carlsbad’s unique community character 
  • Prioritize the safety and well-being of the community 
  • Protect the environment and natural resources 
  • Foster a healthy economy 
  • Be a model for effective and efficient local government 

By adopting the five-year strategic plan, the City Council shifted from setting annual goals to a longer-term plan that guides major projects and priorities. This approach helps maintain momentum on key initiatives while continuing to deliver the core services the community expects.  

The latest report provides a detailed look at the work completed so far and what’s ahead. To make it easier for the community to follow along, the city also launched a new online dashboard this week, providing an overview of progress toward the plan’s goals.

More information
Strategic Plan mid-point progress report
Strategic Plan dashboard
Feb. 25 City Council meeting video
Feb. 25 City Council staff report

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