Township Financial Incentives

A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a planning and economic development tool that establishes a framework for future municipal projects. The CIP also encourages private sector investment within key areas of the Township. A team of consultants from Meridian Planning Consultants, Golder Associates, and TCI Management Consultants was retained by the Township to assist with the development of the comprehensive CIP.

This initiative was built on previous community improvement planning work undertaken for the downtown areas of Fergus and Elora-Salem.

The Township and its team of consultants also explored how to address community improvement more comprehensively and strategically throughout the Urban Centres, including ways to address:

• Downtown revitalization
• Brownfield remediation/redevelopment
• Achieving Provincial directives with respect to growth
• Local economic development

The Community Improvement Plan (CIP) with maps is now available. A Notice of Adoption was posted on Thursday, April 2, 2015. A twenty (20) day appeal period passed. A CIP Implementation Report was presented to Council at the Committee of the Whole Meeting on April 20, 2015 outlining the administrative details surrounding the CIP, including the budget and incentives to be offered in 2015.

An Annual Monitoring Report is provided to Council yearly providing details on Plan Implementation.

To view the Boundary Map for the Community Improvement Plan (CIP), refer to pages 67 & 68 of the CIP.

For Federal and Provincial financial incentives, click here 

Façade, Building and Property Improvement Grant/Loan

• May provide up to 50% of the eligible costs by providing an interest-free loan and/or grant to a maximum Township contribution of $10,000. If both loans and grants are provided, they will be equally apportioned, meaning the maximum Township contribution for the façade improvement would be a $5,000 interest-free loan and a $5,000 grant.
• Additional funding may be available under certain conditions and in the Fergus BIA area.
• Application Form and Guideline Information

Housing Rehabilitation and Conversion Grant/Loan 

• May provide up to 50% of the eligible construction costs, to a maximum of $4,000 per unit. If both loans and grants are provided, they will be equally apportioned, with the maximum Township contribution for the rehabilitation or conversion project would be a $2,000 interest-free loan and/or a $2,000 grant. A maximum of 2 units are eligible.
• Application Form and Guideline Information

Contaminated Assessment Study Grant

• May provide up to 50% of the cost of to complete one or more eligible contamination assessment studies, to a maximum of $10,000 per property.
• Application Form and Guideline Information 

Applications for all incentive programs will be reviewed by the Community Improvement Implementation Committee on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and other Business Financial Incentives, please see our Start and Grow Your Business page.

Additional Financial Incentives such as a Tax Increment Equivalent Grant Program and a Brownfield Tax Assistance Program will be available for properties designated as "Priority Sites" by the Township.

Priority Sites are lands that meet the following criteria:

• The site has frontage along the Grand River.
• The site is a known brownfield property.
• A building on the site has significant heritage value.
• The site is vacant or underutilized and has potential for significant development/redevelopment and/or;
• The site is subject to a proposal that will:
  • Help achieve targets and policies of the Provincial Growth Plan.
  • Accommodate significant job growth.
  • Achieve exceptional design standards, resulting in increased building costs and/or
  • Help achieve any other local economic development goal or priority, as identified by Township Council.

A List of Priority Sites has been established by Township Council.

For more information on Tax Increment Equivalent Grants and Brownfield Financial Assistance, contact Economic Development. 

Urban Design Guidelines

The Urban Design Guidelines (UDG) will be a key implementation instrument for the Community Improvement Plan. They will provide a framework of principles and guidelines that will provide design direction for the development, redevelopment and enhancement of buildings, facades, streetscapes, public open spaces and natural areas. The Draft Urban Design Guidelines and currently being used as a tool against which to assess and evaluate Level 1 and Level 2 incentive programs, where applicable.

Draft Urban Design Guidelines

Urban Design Guidelines Fact Sheet