Erin is moving forward with a Community Improvement Plan (CIP), but the details have yet to be determined.
Economic development officer Robyn Mulder presented eight possible business incentive programs to council at the Feb. 21 meeting. Council directed staff to develop and implement two CIP programs.
In 2016, council adopted a new CIP that would encompass the entire town to replace urban-boundary CIPs for both Hillsburgh and Erin Village.
Council also approved $20,000 for the CIP during the 2017 budget process.
“Through this program, the town will have the tools in place to support new and established businesses,” said Mulder.
She said after research and discussions with other economic development officials in municipalities all over Ontario, staff identified eight financial incentive programs.
The programs be considered are:
– a façade, signage and property improvement grant;
– tax increment equivalent grant;
– design and study grant;
– planning application and building permit fee grant;
– building improvement grant;
– accessibility grant;
– building conversion and expansion grant; and
– contamination assessment and brown field tax assistance grant program.
Mulder recommended the town move forward with the first two suggestions.
In her report, she said $20,000 would be insufficient to implement all eight programs, so she chose the two programs with the potential to make the largest economic impact.
The first program will help finance improvements to an existing building’s façade, signage or other eligible improvements. The tax increment equivalent grant would help offset the property tax increase incurred from an improvement project.
“It’s a solid initiative because we know that we have to do what we can to help our commercial development,” said councillor Matt Sammut.
He asked for further details on the programs, but interim CAO Derek McCaughan said that discussion will be held at a later date.
“It’s premature to have a conversation this evening about whether it is a loan or grant or how much and so on and so forth,” he said.
“These are the details that (Mulder) will come back with to council.”
Sammut said staff “need to be cautious … that we don’t give the community the impression that we’re making private properties more valuable based on municipal funds.”
Mulder said she will be bringing back the details before the start of the third quarter.
“There are so many municipalities with CIPs in place and so many different criteria that are unique to each community, so I am gathering as much information as I can and best practices on the CIPs that we put forward and make it as fair as we can,” she said.
Council received the report and directed staff to proceed with the development and implementation of the two business incentive programs.
Mayor Allan Alls was absent.
