Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City Council approves ideas meant to stimulate the local economy

Aug 12, 2020 | 5:30 AM

City Council has decided how it wants to allocate some of the money in an economic recovery fund set up in response to the pandemic.

The biggest share, $450,000, will go into the Beautification & Patio Grant for businesses across the city. The grants would cover half the cost, up to $15,000, of adding a patio or improving signage, facades, or landscaping.

Mayor Bill Given says the city wants to stimulate the economy by having owners re-invest in their businesses.

“This new program is essentially modelled after our very successful Downtown Incentive Program. (It) led to the redevelopment of a lot of the facades on downtown businesses was also a matching grant program and for every $1 the city invested in that program; we saw about $4 in actual economic activity happen. So, we saw this as a really great opportunity for those property owners who are interested and willing to partner with the city in upgrading their businesses and improving the general appearance of the community and that is something that puts tradespeople to work immediately.”

Another $50,000 will be for a Local Marketing Grant program. It could be used for half the cost, up to $2500, of new marketing initiatives.

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There is still close to half a million dollars left in an Economic Recovery Fund set up by the city earlier this year as a response to the pandemic.