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The City of Cambridge has a number of incentive programs to help grow the community. These programs help lower the cost of improving and developing aging or polluted areas.
Core Area Incentives
The Core Areas Community Improvement Plan (CIP) 2021 provides the basis for improvement programs and initiatives within designated CIP Project Areas in the City of Cambridge. It focuses on Cambridge’s three core areas as designated in the Official Plan and Community Improvement Project Area By-law. CIP's, programs and initiatives facilitate the planning and financing of development activities that effectively use, reuse and revitalize lands, buildings and infrastructure. They prioritize municipal investment and are intended to stimulate private sector investment, property maintenance and revitalization within the project areas.
It is important for the City to help renew and grow Cambridge's downtown core areas. These areas are a part of our history and culture, and show the quality of life in our city. The City of Cambridge has three historic core areas - Galt City Centre, Preston Towne Centre, and Hespeler Village.
Core Areas CIP Programs
Under the new CIP there are 5 programs for the Project Areas. Programs 1 through 4 are stackable with each other as they are interior and exterior programs. Program 5 is a stand alone program that is for transformational projects.
You can apply for any of the following programs using our Online Applications Portal.
You will also need to fill out a copy of the:
The new programs are:
| 1. Commercial Property Improvement Grant Program (CPIG) |
| The Commercial Property Improvement Grant Program is intended to provide financial assistance for commercial property owners/authorized tenants within the Core Areas as identified within the Official Plan. The Program aims to improve upon the appearance of commercial properties, support commercial property/business owners with limited rehabilitation of interior space and assist in creating a barrier free and accessible environment.
Buildings that have a linear foot street frontage of 25 feet or less (25’), grants will be paid on a matching 50/50 basis to a maximum of $15,000 for eligible work under the Program.
Buildings that have a linear foot street frontage greater than twenty-five feet (25’), grants will be paid on a matching basis of $600 per linear foot of street frontage up to a maximum of $25,000 for eligible work under the Program.
As a further incentive for corner properties the City will increase the maximum grant amount to $30,000, on a similar matching basis for eligible work under the Program to recognize the importance of flankage facades. The grant amount will be determined by the measurement of the street frontage and the measurement of the corner/exposed wall multiplied by $600 per linear foot.
An additional $5,000 will be added to the maximum funding for each item listed below:
This brings a maximum funding amount of any property to $45,000.
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| 2. Commercial Building Restoration, Renovation and Improvement Grant Program (CBRRIG) |
| This grant has the potential to leverage significant private sector investment in interior building renovations and improvements, and help address the costs involved with renovations.
This program is restricted to the conversion of vacant, residential, or underutilized space to use as: a restaurant, market or Place of Assembly related to arts, culture, and/or recreation or rehabilitation of existing, or conversion of space for commercial use.
The program will be matching grants of up to 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum grant amount. If the building is a single commercial floor, the grant amount will be $50,000 per property. If the building is two or more floors of commercial use, the grant amount will be up to $100,000 per property.
The maximum grant may increase by $5,000 for the inclusion of enhanced accessibility elements. This will bring the total maximum funding amount to $105,000.
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| 3. Mixed Use Conversion and Restoration Grant Program (MUCRG) |
| The Mixed Use Conversion and Restoration Grant Program is aimed at attracting new investment and interest in converting currently non-residential vacant or underutilized upper storey space to residential units and renovating the existing commercial space located below by providing a financial incentive that will be targeted at the costs of converting the space. It is intended to stimulate the creation of new residential units on the upper storeys of existing mixed use buildings and renovating or restoring ground floor commercial occupancies.
The Commercial Restoration portion of the matching grant will be up to 50% of eligible costs up to a grant of $50,000 per property. The maximum grant may increase by $2,500 for the inclusion of enhanced accessibility elements to $52,500 per property.
The Residential Conversion portion of the Grant Program will consist of a grant, whereby property owners will be eligible to receive a grant of up to $10,000 for every new residential unit created or every unit that has been vacant on the upper floors of an existing mixed use building, up to a grant of $100,000 per property. The maximum grant may increase by $2,500 per unit for the creation of accessible residential units up to a maximum of $125,000 per property.
The total amount combined of the grant of the eligible costs is up to a maximum grant of $150,000 per property. The total amount for projects that include accessible residential units as well as enhanced accessibility elements on the ground floor is a maximum grant of $177,500 per property.
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| 4. Core Areas Waiver of Application Fees |
| The following application fees may be waived if applications are for properties that are located within the Core areas as defined in the Official Plan. This waiver will only be applicable to mixed used, commercial and high density housing, and will not be for single detached homes.
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| 5. Tax Increase-based Equivalent Grant Program (TIEG) |
| The Tax Increase-based Equivalent Grant Program offers grants to eligible applicants whose City property tax has increased as a result of the planning or replanning, design or redesign, resubdivision, clearance, development or redevelopment, reconstruction and rehabilitation of a property within one of the designated Community Improvement Project Areas, resulting in the incremental improvement of the built character of these areas.
Property taxes for the City of Cambridge are calculated by the following ratio:
Annual grants may be equal to 75% of the City’s portion of the property tax increase. The development must meet and incorporates exemplary design standards and contributes to maintaining the heritage character of the Community Improvement Project Area. |
For more information on these programs, contact our Economic Development Officer, Thomas Strongman Via Email or by phone at (519) 740-4685 ext. 4719
City-wide incentives
The City of Cambridge also offers a number of city-wide development incentives.
Heritage properties
For development or renewal of heritage properties, the City offers a development charge allowance as well as our Heritage Grant Program.
Contaminated sites
The TIG Program provides tax grants to help property owners with the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites. The City-Wide Brownfields Community Improvement Plan of 2010 and subsequent update, Report 21-132 (CD) provide background information regarding the program and eligibility requirements. The applications for a development charge allowance and the Tax Increment Grant are available.