The Township of Puslinch will receive funding from Wellington County’s 2015 Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) Municipal Implementation Fund to complete a Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
The fund provides each of Wellington’s municipalities the opportunity to access up to $25,000 to implement specific BR+E activities identified in the respective municipal BR+E projects to enhance the local economy. These activities can include downtown revitalization, business incubation, workforce training, talent attraction, investment attraction and strategic economic planning. The funding must be used before Dec. 31.
Puslinch requested a total of $25,000 to complete a CIP, a tool that allows a municipality to direct funds and implement policy initiatives towards a specifically-defined project area. Once implemented, the plan allows municipalities to provide tax assistance, grants or loans to assist in the rehabilitation of lands and/or buildings within the defined community improvement project area.
“As such plans are shaped by local needs, priorities and circumstances,” notes a staff report from Wellington economic development officer Jana Reichert. The township plans to hire Meridian Planning Consultants to engage in a public consultation process to direct the CIP. Total project expenditures are estimated at $45,074. “The CIP is part of the township council’s long-term vision for increasing the community’s economic potential and also helps to achieve the county’s long term active business recruitment objectives and Official Plan growth objectives,” stated Reichert in her report. “I am also pleased as we provided the township with a letter of support and they recently received notice of the province supporting this project, providing $15,000 in additional leverage,” she added.
