Community Improvement Plans
Downtown
Section 28 of the Planning Act permits a municipality to identify specific areas as community improvement areas and, in conformity with an implementing Community Improvement Plan, offer grants or loans to pay for the whole or part of the eligible costs of the community improvement to property owners.
The City of Niagara Falls has approved five Community Improvement Plans (CIP) that provide guidelines and financial incentives towards physical, economic and environmental improvements within the Plan area. We cover the Downtown Community Improvement Plan here!
*The City has recently approved an extension Downtown, Historic Drummondville and City-Wide Community Improvement Plans to the end of 2018. You can read the Planning Report PBD-2017-09 (PDF) for more detail on the extension and the changes made to the incentive programs.
Downtown Niagara Falls CIP Program
Downtown CIP Brochure (PDF) – a brief overview of the incentive programs offered
Application Guides for Downtown
- Commercial Building and Facade Improvement Grant (PDF) – To promote the restoration and improvment of the facades of commercial and mixed-use buildings and promote the maintenance and physical improvment of existing buildings and properties.
- Revitalization Grant (PDF) – To provide financial incentive to help offset the increased property taxes that result from the rehabilitation of downtown residential and commercial properties.
- Residential Loan (PDF) – To provide a 0% interest loan to promote the: conversion of non-residential buildings to residential use; upgrade of existing residential buildings to meet Building Code, Fire Code and Property Standards By-law; and construction of residential units on vacant properties.
- Downtown Campus Business Case Study (PDF)
Niagara Gateway Economic Zone Community Improvement Plan
The purpose of the Gateway CIP is to stimulate new, sustainable investment by existing businesses and new businesses on employment lands in the Gateway Economic Zone.
Application Guides:
- Tax Increment Based Grant Program and Development Charge Grant Application – a tax increment based grant following completion of an eligible project involving development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or adaptive reuse of buildings and properties on employment lands where that project creates an increase in assessment.
- Municipal Employment Incentive Program (PDF) – offers further incentives at the Municipal level for development that qualifies under the Tax Increment Based Grant Program including planning application Fee waivers, building permit fee rebates and study grants.
