Following the August committee of the whole meeting, town council approved new program timelines and increased amounts for several grant categories.
Businesses and property owners can now submit their application for the 2024 intake of the Community Improvement Program. Applications for various improvement grants can be submitted until Dec. 15, 2023 by business and property owners within our designated urban area. The change in application intake and approvals allows for better flow of grant money and more time for the work to be completed. Applicants awarded grants in this 2024 program will still have to complete their project Oct. 31 of the following year.
The program assists property and business owners within the Community Improvement Area through several grant programs that all help with the costs of improving the look and viability of the community. The program has contributed more than $600,000 in grants and leveraged almost $11 million in local investment.
Since the program was created in 2012, the grant thresholds of the Community Improvement Program had not been updated. The Community Grants Committee (CGC) discussed increasing the amounts to reflect the current cost of improvements. Following the analysis gathered by the manager of economic development, Amy Taylor, the CGC recommended the committee of the whole approve increasing grant amounts for many grant categories in the Community Improvement Program.
The Community Improvement Program provides targeted investment to develop a more attractive, safe, and efficient community within the urban core.
“These changes will help the Community Grants Committee review applications more effectively and allow for better promotion of the town’s grant programs. Updating the grant categories will better support improvement projects within the community, strengthening the impact of the program,” Taylor said.
Available grant categories for the 2024 program, noting which categories have been updated:
- Building Façade Improvement Grant (Main/Front Façade) – new thresholds
- Building Façade Improvement Grant (Rear or Side Wall) – new thresholds
- Downtown Tomorrow Digital Improvement Grant – new threshold
- Landscaping and Property Improvement Grant – new threshold
- Outdoor Patio Grant – new thresholds
- Planning Application Fee and Building Permit Fee Grant
- Planning and Design Grant
- Structural Improvement Grant – new threshold
- Signage Improvements Grant – new thresholds
- Residential Conversion/Rehabilitation Grant – new threshold
- Heritage Restoration Grant – new threshold
- Development Charge rebate
- Tax Increment Grant
- Heritage Property Tax Relief
Completed applications must be received before 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023.
Interested applicants are encouraged to make an appointment with the town’s economic development team for assistance with their application and to ensure all criteria are met prior to submission.
For project assistance and application inquiries, contact economic development coordinator Nicole Hilton at 705-687-3412, ext. 2265 or Nicole.hilton@gravenhurst.ca.
Additional information can be found at www.gravenhurst.ca/cip or by contacting the economic development team.
