As part of the Township’s strategy to improve Village Vitality, Rideau Lakes is pleased to announce that the new Community Improvement Plan for Villages has been adopted.

Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a tool under the Planning Act that allows municipalities to establish grant programs to fund private property improvements and initiatives. CIPs can be powerful community development tools by way of leveraging private investment through public grants.  The Township has had a CIP in place for the village of Delta and Crosby since 2012 and seen success in Delta with the program and the renewal of many commercial, community and historical spaces.

This new CIP broadens the scope of that success and allows residents and business owners in the Township’s villages of Chaffeys Lock, Delta, Elgin, Lombardy, Newboro, and Portland to access funding and program supports.

The CIP was developed and informed with community input.  Earlier this year, Township staff engaged the public in a community consultation process, gathering feedback on proposed project areas in each village and grant funding programs.  The CIP also incorporates the unique village visions developed by each community as a part of recent visioning exercises. 

The CIP for Villages’ grant programs promote sustainable economic development with a focus on community revitalization.  The key five grants offered include: Commercial Façade and Sign Improvement; Built Heritage Improvement; Accessibility; Development Application Fee Offsetting; Low-Impact Development; and Residential Conversion Grant.

In addition, grant programs for residential projects have been added to assist the Township in meeting its affordable housing strategic priorities, as outlined in the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan.  The programs are intended to assist residents and developers in creating an appropriate range of housing options to bolster local housing availability and rental affordability. This work is being done in coordination with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and their mandate under the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan. The six new grant programs are:  Rental Housing Rebate Program; Additional Residential Unit Rebate Program; Additional Residential Unit Renovation and Construction Grant; Affordable Housing and Home Ownership Rebate Program; and Affordable Housing Tax Increment Equivalent Rebate.

“I am extremely excited by the new CIP.  We have been working tirelessly since 2015 to execute projects and programs that place our villages at the heart of our community and rural life.  We have had success in attracting new businesses, services and housing, and the CIP will allow us to further deliver on this priority.” Mayor Arie Hoogenboom remarked.

Recent community building investments by the Township include a 3-year partnership with WTC Communications to successfully rollout 1Gbs fibre in Rideau Lakes, new recreational and community facilities, as well as new and improved streetscape and sidewalks.

Applications for the Community Improvement Grant Programs will be available by April 14^th, 2023. Watch our website as more details about the CIP for Villages, Grant Programs and application forms become available at https://www.rideaulakes.ca/grow/plans-programs/community-improvement-plans. To apply, please contact Kayla Porter to schedule a pre-consultation, which will be required prior to the submission of an application.