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-Editorial
Ensenada is emerging as one of the leading municipalities in Baja California, and potentially the country, in terms of talent generation per capita, creating favorable conditions for investment, according to Mario Alberto Peregrina Brizuela, president of the Ensenada Economic Promotion Council (Copreen).
During a meeting with members of the Mexican Construction Industry Companies of Ensenada (COMICE), led by José Guadalupe Placencia Galindo, Peregrina emphasized the city’s strong educational infrastructure, which spans undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. He noted that university enrollment in Ensenada reaches approximately 85%, significantly above the national average of 60%, with San Quintín at 80%. Between 500 and 1,000 engineers graduate annually, followed by professionals in health sciences.
Peregrina highlighted Ensenada’s diversified economy, which boasts the widest economic ecosystem in Baja California, particularly in manufacturing. While the number of companies may be smaller compared to other regions, he noted, “there is a little of everything.”
Ensenada’s logistical advantages were also underlined, including a deep-sea port, a cargo airport under construction, road access to the U.S. border in just over an hour, and proximity to the U.S. rail system. These assets position Ensenada as the state’s logistical hub.
The recent release of the Urban Development Program for Ensenada’s Central Population Area (PDUCP) and development guidelines for the city’s northern zone further strengthen its competitive advantage for industrial, commercial, and residential projects.
Copreen is actively promoting strategic sectors such as manufacturing, maritime industries, tourism, agribusiness, and innovation. Priority industries include life sciences, electronics, textiles, automotive, aerospace manufacturing, fisheries, shipbuilding, logistics, hospitality, gastronomy, software development, and biotechnology.
Despite the municipality’s strengths, Peregrina acknowledged key challenges facing economic development. These include infrastructure needs—particularly water, electricity, and transportation—for new development areas, which require timely and effective planning to ensure business certainty and prevent delays in project implementation.
He also stressed the need to strengthen local supply chains and foster partnerships with other Baja California providers, especially to support small-scale contract manufacturing.
Industrial parks remain one of the greatest barriers to attracting new manufacturing and tech industries, he said, pointing to the need for reliable and transparent permitting processes.
Transparency and legal certainty are critical, he added, urging collaboration with government authorities to establish a business-friendly regulatory environment that instills confidence in both local and foreign investors.
Copreen’s mission, Peregrina concluded, is to drive economic growth across all sectors, create business connections for local and regional companies, and support foreign direct investment through activities such as business retention, international promotion trips, investor follow-up, and partnerships between businesses, educational institutions, and government.