- Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

This storefront in the 200 block of 10th Street East has been empty for more than a decade, while the owner received municipal tax relief for vacant commercial space. That 30% rebate program has ended, and new grants for improvements seem to be the incentive the property owner needed.

For more than a week the public parking lot behind the building has been the focus of the work, with trucks, trailers, pylons and gravel. This morning the whole front of the commercial portion of the building was removed, causing a bit of a traffic jam. 

Municipalities in Ontario are prohibited from financially assisting businesses and landowners.  Community Improvement Plans (CIP), regulated by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, are the exception, funding physical improvements to privately owned land and buildings for specific purposes.

According to the Owen Sound Community Improvement Plan 2020:  "A CIP, in a broad sense, encourages activities that contribute to the economic development, beautification, quality of life, aesthetic improvements, environmental sustainability, and the creation of a sense of place."

"The City of Owen Sound has identified a need for a CIP program to help promote and enable prioritized development across the City..."

"A CIP for the City of Owen Sound has been prepared to serve as a long-term strategy to revitalize the community, improve the quality of life of the community’s residents, better utilize under-developed properties and to support private investment in land and buildings."

We can expect to see property owners both from the region and "from away" utilizing these funding opportunities. 

We hope to see more than beautification and fewer vacant storefronts downtown, as welcome as those might be.  We are looking forward to the CIP providing housing, employment and creative opportunities across our community.