Coastal Economy
"The Cape and Islands are home to historic main streets, local shops, and small-town businesses that employ some of the hardest working entrepreneurs and individuals in the nation. It is essential that we invest in our workforce and entrepreneurs so that we create opportunity and enable Cape Codders and Islanders to build a future."
— Julian Cyr
Working and Living on the Cape and Islands
SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS AND WORKERS
Growing up working in a family-owned seasonal restaurant, Julian has always been a voice for small businesses and workers. He continues to advocate for common-sense solutions to ease the obstacles to success for our local businesses and industries.
COVID-19 challenged us all. Julian fought for small businesses and workers hit hard by the pandemic, especially in our tourism and hospitality industry. Julian brought home millions of dollars in pandemic relief to help our merchants, restaurants, and downtowns recover and thrive.
SUPPORTING OUR SEASONAL ECONOMY
Having worked at his family’s restaurant in Truro for 14 seasons, Julian knows the challenges that seasonal businesses often face. COVID-19 exacerbated those challenges and devastated parts of our seasonal economy during the 2020 tourist season. He advanced legislation to help seasonal businesses qualify for relief grants, quickly adjust their permits to serve outdoors, and shift their business models to offer more contactless service for most of their menu items. As a member of the Special Commission on Restaurant Promotion, Julian is dedicated to ensuring that our small businesses have the resources they need to flourish.
TOURISM
Julian believes in redoubling state support of our small businesses that rely on visitors. Julian has consistently advocated for a greater amount of state funding to promote tourism on the Cape and Islands, including by introducing legislation that would establish new grant programs for tourism promotion. Along with other members of the Cape & Islands Legislative Delegation, Julian’s urging has resulted in the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism awarding grants to various local tourism marketing efforts.
WORKER OWNERSHIP
Worker ownership is a proven, effective tool for strengthening businesses, generating wealth in communities, and improving the quality of life for workers. The Commonwealth has the third-largest number of cooperatives in the country and a long history of supporting and leading these initiatives. Senator Cyr believes worker-owned businesses and cooperatives could be key to supporting the longevity of many of the Cape and Islands’ iconic and beloved establishments. Senator Cyr helped re-establish the Massachusetts Office of Employee Ownership and filed legislation to offer tax incentives to companies that give their employees a stake in the company’s future.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Julian is proud to partner with local disability organizations to ensure that those living with disabilities get the support they need. He has secured funding for those with visual impairments and has worked closely with the Cape Cod Disability Network. Julian fought to expand state aid to school districts responsible for educating students with especially high needs. In 2023, the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers recognized Julian’s service to the disability community by selecting Julian to receive their Senator of the Year award.
TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR ISOLATED REGION
A robust transit system helps our community share in our state's progress. Senator Cyr helped fund the necessary road construction to accompany the new Bourne and Sagamore bridges, brought new and improved park-and-ride facilities to Route 6, and protected port communities from financial ruin when the COVID-19 pandemic diminished Steamship Authority revenue.
Wins in the State Budget
The Massachusetts State Senate passes a budget each year that funds all government operations and invests in the state's future. In Fiscal Year 2025, Senator Cyr secured $3.9 million for statewide initiatives and an additional $600,000 for local Cape and Islands priorities, delivering critical investments to every community in the region.
Supporting Local Industries
BLUE ECONOMY
The ebbs and flows of the Cape & Islands’ seasonal economy can prove challenging for many residents. That’s why Julian has worked to sustain and grow the region’s reputation as a national hub for the blue economy in marine research, fishing and aquaculture, renewable energy, ecological restoration and conservation, and environmental research. The blue economy has vast potential to create year-round, well-paying opportunities for thousands of workers in the region. For example, Julian secured funding for the Center for Coastal Studies to study and protect our exceptional marine ecosystems.
FISHING
Commercial fishing is a centuries old, critical industry for working families on Cape Cod & the Islands. Senator Cyr’s office filed legislation to create an ocean acidification commission to identify the effects of coastal and ocean acidification on commercially valuable marine life in the region. To ensure the safe passage of boats, Senator Cyr secured over $3 million for local harbor dredging projects, and an additional $100,000 for an apprenticeship program to educate, train, and mentor young and beginning commercial fishers.
AGRICULTURE
With nearly 30% of all North American cranberry acreage, and as one of the top regions for oyster farming, the Cape and Islands have a rich history of producing some of the world’s prized agricultural and aquaculture products. We must continue to support our farmers and aquaculturists as they feed our state and draw tourists from across the nation.
Senator Cyr proudly supported millions in grants awarded to farmers by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. The grants aimed to enhance composting, food safety, cranberry bog restoration, stewardship, and business planning. He has also secured state dollars for local organizations that support sustainable agriculture and promote farmers’ markets.
MARIJUANA
Julian established opportunities for small-scale craft cultivation when Massachusetts legalized recreational cannabis. He also championed the ability for entrepreneurs on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket to participate in the industry.
Disproportionate enforcement of anti-marijuana laws has ruined too many lives, especially in Black and Brown communities. He proudly voted for the legislation, now signed into law, that advanced greater equity in the nascent cannabis industry and advocated for several key provisions of the bill, including placing guardrails on host-community agreements and allowing communities interested in pursuing social consumption sites the ability to do so.
