Work continues on an updated Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the City of Quinte West.
Under such plans municipalities can provide incentives such as favourable loans, grants or infrastructure improvements to encourage private property owners to make investments that would be of benefit to the local economy.
An already popular CIP incentive is the offering of grants to cover the cost of facade improvements on downtown buildings.
Jonathan Hack of Sierra Planning and Management told council Wednesday that the updated plan could include new programs and not just focus on downtown cores.
“Well we are spreading out to deal with brownfields, properties such as the former Domtar site. We want to attract new businesses and of course we want to, if we can, improve the opportunities for overnight tourism accommodation.
Some rural or agricultural properties could also be eligible for Community Improvement Plan incentives as it’s proposed the entire municipality be eligible for CIP programs and incentives.
New programs that might be proposed include development charge deferrals, tax increment equivalent grants for property owners, incentives for Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, along with building accessibility incentives.
Council will see a final report on the plan in September.
