Meaford council has given initial approval to an overhaul of the municipal CIP (Community Improvement Plan) program.
During their October 6 meeting, council was presented with a report from staff outlining a plan to refresh the program. The report included four recommendations, including to hold a public meeting to gather feedback from the community as part of the refresh process.
While the program was initially aimed at offering municipal grant funds to downtown property owners for façade improvements, over the years the scope of the program has grown to include grant funding and loans for a range of projects.
“Council adopted the current CIP in 2022. This CIP features nine incentive programs: the Building and Lands Improvement Program, Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program, Study and Business Plan Grant Program, Development Charges and Municipal Fee-equivalent Grant Program, Tax Increment Equivalent Grant (TIEG), Brownfields Tax Assistance Program, Affordable Housing Loan Program, Surplus Municipal Lands and Buildings Program, and the Tourism Destination Loan Program,” staff advised in their report to council. “Prior to this CIP, the Municipality operated two CIPs. These two CIPs were repealed upon adoption of the current CIP in 2022. The two former CIPs were the Downtown CIP, which was focused on the restoration of downtown buildings in the Heritage Conservation District, and the Economic Development CIP, focused on business supports for start-up and expansion. The current CIP combined the two previous CIP programs and made their incentives available to properties across the municipality.”
Municipal staff identified issues with the program, and in March of this year council approved a pause in the program while staff explored potential improvements.
“Through recent applications and discussions with potential proponents of development in the municipality, staff have found some policy flaws in the current CIP and believe that there is a need for a refresh of the CIP,” staff noted in their report to council. “It is recommended that Council continue the CIP pause until the refreshed CIP is adopted.”
Staff reminded council that the intent of a CIP program is to provide funding for projects that can be appreciated by the community at large, making public consultation crucial to the pending refresh of the program.
“The general intent of a CIP is that the incentives available are to be used for community improvement, meaning that the results of the work undertaken can be enjoyed by many and for long-term benefit. The 2022 CIP is founded upon the policies of the Meaford Official Plan (OP). The CIP refresh must be in conformity with the community growth vision and objectives set out in the OP,” staff noted in their report. “The public consultation phase will reveal the exact nature and scope of the recommended CIP revisions.”
Members of council approved the recommendations included in the report, and they are eager to see the plan overhauled.
“Yes, this does need to have a refresh,” Councillor Tony Bell told council. “A complete refresh with an overview of what this is about, what our intentions are, who’s going to benefit.”
Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney agreed that it was time for the program to be updated.
“I am also in favour of this report,” Keaveney told council. “The Community Improvement Plan was really designed initially to improve our downtown core, so that businesses on the main street could upgrade their façades.”
Keaveney noted that over the years council strayed from the spirit of the program in an attempt to be more inclusive of the rural areas of the municipality.
Keaveney also suggested she would like to see the revised CIP program include incentives for the development of affordable housing.
Staff advised council that the CIP Refresh will be completed through a public engagement process and in accordance with the notice requirements of the Planning Act.
“A communications strategy will be devised in partnership with Communications staff, including creation of a dedicated CIP Refresh webpage,” staff advised in their report.
Staff told council that they hope to have the CIP refresh draft completed early in the new year.
