Contractual Development of Medium-sized Cities

Cities will play a decisive role in solving Finland’s major challenges. In addition to the metropolitan area and the largest university cities, the potential of medium-sized cities must also be harnessed to the benefit of the entire country.

Medium-sized cities (40,000 – 100,000 inhabitants) are important engines of growth and producers of well-being nationally and regionally. Private investments in medium-sized urban areas in the next few years are counted in the tens of billions. The need for new experts will thus rise to the tens of thousands.

MDI collated together the interests of 15 medium-sized cities during 2023 and drafted a partnership agreement with the state. In addition, an outline was built to strengthen the mutual networking of cities. Finland’s medium-sized cities include Pori, Kouvola, Joensuu, Lappeenranta, Hämeenlinna, Vaasa, Seinäjoki, Rovaniemi, Mikkeli, Porvoo, Salo, Kotka, Kokkola, Hyvinkää and Kajaani.

The aim of the partnership is to:

1. Accelerate the return of industry and remove the bottlenecks that hinder it, such as the availability of skilled labour in the fields of the green transition
2. Promote a community structure that inhibits the effects of climate change and curbs natural habitat loss while implementing a sustainable mobility and housing policy.
3. Strengthen the attraction and holding power of growth cities with openness, cultural and service provision and internationality.

Themes are promoted through national theme networks.

The work was commissioned by the city of Hämeenlinna which will continue into the future to collect the voices of growth cities.