The Port Hope Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a series of funding incentives available to property owners and business owners within the Downtown CIP Area. These incentives encourage redevelopment of aging buildings and provide funding for various projects.
Simply contact our Business Outreach Coordinator by email to discuss your proposed project. We will advise you of the programs that you may be eligible for and guide you through the application process. We accept funding applications on an ongoing basis.
• You must be the property owner or have explicit permission from the property owner
• Project must not have been started as you cannot apply for funding once you have applied for the building permit
• Commercial properties within the CIP Area
Did you know we have a Downtown Heritage Signage Program as part of CIP?
Are you ready to update your Port Hope Downtown Commercial Signage? You could be eligible for funding! Furby House Books is an excellent example of a heritage sign that meets a number of the criteria requirements:
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Carved/molded traditional legible lettering
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Historic paint colour palette
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Visual distinction between shopfront and upper floor
CIP Program Incentives
The Downtown Community Improvement Plan includes multiple incentives. All grants may be “stacked” or applied for together, with the exception of the Tax Increment Grant Program and the Development Charge Grant Program.
Downtown Heritage Signage Program |
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Are you ready to update your Port Hope Downtown Commercial Signage? You could be eligible for funding!
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Urban Design Study Grant Program |
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The Urban Design Study Grant Program offers a grant equal to 50% of the cost of an urban design study, professional architectural and design drawing(s), and/or heritage impact assessment to a maximum grant of $3,000. Only one Urban Design Study Grant application per property or project is permitted. |
Façade Improvement Grant Program |
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The Façade Improvement Grant Program offers a grant equal to 50% of the cost of eligible front, side and rear façade improvement and restoration works to a commercial, institutional and mixed-use buildings. There is up to $12,500 available for front facades and up to $7,500 for side and rear façades. |
Building and Property Improvement Grant Program |
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The Building and Property Improvement Grant Program has two components:
The building improvement component offers a grant equal to 50% of the cost of eligible interior and exterior building works to commercial, institutional and mixed-use buildings up to maximum grant of $12,500. The Property Improvement component offers a grant equal to 50% of the cost of eligible exterior property improvement, such as landscaping and paving, to a maximum grant of $7,500. |
Upper Storey Conversion Grant Program |
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The Upper Storey Conversion Grant Program offers a grant for the following types of projects in the upper storeys of existing commercial, institutional and mixed-use buildings. Renovating existing residential units to bring these units into compliance with the Building Code, Property Standards By-law, and the Fire Code. Constructing new residential units or new live, work, or studio space. The grant offered is $15 per square foot to a maximum grant of $15,000 per residential unit, live workspace or studio, and a maximum of four residential units. The grant can be increased to $24 per square foot for affordable residential units. |
Brownfield's Tax Assistance Program |
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The Brownfield's Tax Assistance Program offers the cancellation of Municipality property taxes for up to three years on a property that needs an environmental site assessment and environmental remediation in order to redevelop the property. |
Tax Increment Grant Program |
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The Tax Increment Grant Program offers an annual grant for up to 10 years after project completion to help reduce the property tax increase that can result in larger rehabilitation, redevelopment, infill and intensification projects in the Project Area. This grant is only available to projects that meet the Municipality's minimum performance requirements for a “catalytic project”. If the applicant chooses to apply for this grant, Council will determine if the project meets this criteria. Please noteA property owner must choose between applying for the Tax Increment Grant Program and the Development Charge Grant Program. |
Development Charge Grant Program |
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The Development Charge Grant Program offers a grant that reduces the Municipal Development Charges payable on projects in the Project Area. This grant is only available to projects that meet the Municipality's minimum performance requirement for a “catalytic project”. If the applicant chooses to apply for this grant, Council will determine if the project meets this criteria. |
Fees Grant Program |
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The Fees Grant Program offers a grant equal to up to 100% of the fees paid on planning and development applications, demolitions or building permits, and a range of other permits for projects approved and completed under any of the CIP Incentive programs up to a maximum of $5,000. |
Success Stories
We're proud of our community! Below is a list of locations who successfully applied and completed the CIP process.
| Completed Projects |
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The CIP funding has been used by many local business and property owners:
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How it all started
The municipality implemented a major Downtown Revitalization Project in 2018. Learn about how CIP was created as part of this initiative.
| History of the CIP Initiative |
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A key part of the Downtown Revitalization Project was the Downtown Port Hope Community Improvement Plan (CIP). The Planning Act and Municipal Act, 2001 provided the legislative basis for municipal community improvement planning. The Act enables municipalities to start community improvement activities to improve the physical landscape, either through municipally-driven or incentive-based programs. We adopted the CIP to help promote the revitalization and redevelopment of our Downtown. |