City Government - Development

You have reached the Office of Development of the City of Canton, Ohio.  This cabinet-level office, led by Development Director Robert Torres, is responsible for overseeing Economic, Community (Housing), Planning, and Youth development of the city.  For more information about the city's Development Director, see below.

The Office of Development is responsible for the following functions:
(If linked, click the name of each department to be taken to its page)

• Economic/Business Development
  
• Community/Housing Development
• Annexation
• Youth Development
  

To contact the Office of Development and/or the Development Director, please use the information listed to your right.

Public Review/Comment
CDBG-R Substantial Amendment
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("Recovery Act") was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. The Recovery Act awards $1 billion in CDBG Recovery (CDBG-R) funds to be distributed to cities, counties, insular areas and states, of which $10 million has been reserved by HUD for its administrative costs and $10 million of which will be awarded to Indian tribes. 

Click this link to review the City of Canton's proposed CDBG-R Substantial Amendment.

About the Director

Hailing from northwest Ohio, Robert Torres was appointed by Mayor Healy in February 2008 to be Canton's Director of Development.  Prior to joining the Healy administration, Robert was a Development Specialist for Mayor Carleton “Carty” Finkbeiner of Toledo, where he was responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in new and sustained economic development projects.

An economic development professional for over 20 years, Robert specializes in the coordination of new business development projects using loans and grants from public and private funding sources.  He has also provided strategic planning assistance to the Toledo-area Community Development Corporation (similar to the Canton Community Improvement Corporation) and acted in an advisory capacity to Mayor Finkbeiner on other issues related to economic development.

Prior to joining the development team for the City of Toledo, Robert served in the administration of then-Mayor Jack Ford as director of the Toledo Youth Commission.  Robert further served as Director of the Toledo's Office of Latino Affairs from 2003 to 2006.

In addition to his official duties for the City of Toledo, Robert was elected to the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education in 2005, later serving as Vice President until resigning to come to Canton.

Robert graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Public Administration.  Prior to that, he served in the United States Marine Corps. from 1986 to 1988 and again during the Desert Storm conflict from 1989 to 1990.  He is a member of the President's Leadership Academy Advisory Committee at BGSU and is the founding chair of Adelante, Inc. - a Latino resource center serving the greater Toledo area.