Community Improvement Plans and Downtowns

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Community Improvement Plans and Downtowns
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Community Improvement Plans

• Community Improvement Plans are the policy
  expression of a communitys plans to facilitate
  mainstreet improvements.
• CIPs are the mechanism by which a municipality
  can establish financial incentive programs.

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Financing - Subsidies

• Section 106 of Municipal Act, 2001 restricts
  financial subsidies to businesses. Why?
• Earlier conflicts among municipalities
• Excessive relief extended to certain companies
• Municipal spending is for public purposes
• Section 28 of the Planning Act provides an
  exemption from the above prohibition by way of a
  CIP
• Provide financial assistance to owners and
  tenants in public interest

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Financial Incentive Programs

• Loans
• Grants
• - Property Tax Based Programs
• - To off-set municipal fees/charges
• Development Charge Assistance
• The total of the grants and loans may not exceed
  the cost of rehabilitating the lands and
  buildings

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Community Improvement Plan-An Introduction

• A CIP is a municipal planning tool
• to let municipalities facilitate and encourage
  community change in a coordinated manner
• to focus the public on municipal priorities and
  initiatives
• to create partnerships with the private sector
  and community groups
• to stimulate improvement activities through
  assistance programs

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Community Improvement Plan-Legislative Basis

• Section 28 of the Planning Act
• Allows for strategic policy planning on a
  site-specific or area-wide basis to
• Specify municipal actions to be undertaken to
  rehabilitate lands and buildings
• Requirement that municipal Official Plan contain
  provisions relating to community improvement (see
  s. 17) of Planning Act
• Once in effect, CIPs have the same status as
  Official Plans or Official Plan Amendments

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Intent of CIP

• The intent of CIPs are for their use in areas
  that may be experiencing deterioration or decline
• CIP could allow for the opportunity for infill
  development.
• Most common CIPs provide for façade improvement
  or streetscape improvement to main streets.

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Intent of CIP

• CIP Partnerships with other community groups
• Business Improvement Area (BIA)
• Public

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Contact Us

• Alison Fath-York
• Senior Municipal Financial Advisor
• Municipal Services Office East
• 1-800-267-9438 x-15

• Joe Gallivan
• Municipal Planning Advisor
• Municipal Services Office East
• 1-800-267-9438 x-16