Heritage Financial Incentives Program
The Heritage Financial Incentives Program is intended to defray some of the development costs associated with maintaining and conserving municipally designated Heritage Buildings and those buildings located in the City’s designated Heritage Areas, also referred to as “Heritage Properties”. The applicant must demonstrate the cost difference and the grant will not exceed the amount of the cost difference.
2. Financial Incentives:
2.1 Heritage Maintenance Grant: This grant is for the maintenance and repair to façade elements abutting a public street. A grant of up to 25 per cent of the material and labour costs will be available to a maximum of $1,000 per building, per calendar year.
2.2 Heritage Conservation Grant: This grant is for the preservation, restoration and/or replacement of façade elements abutting a public street. A grant of up to 25 per cent of the material and labour costs will be available to a maximum of $5,000 per building, per calendar year.
2.3 Permit Waiver: Once a grant application is approved, Council may waive associated permit fees.
3. General Conditions:
3.1 All work funded by a grant shall comply with all applicable Federal, Provincial and Municipal legislation.
3.2 Any work undertaken prior to grant approval shall be identified and may be considered for funding at Council's discretion provided the City receives the grant application within the time frame as specified in Section 7.1 and within two (2) years of the date the Building Permit was issued.
3.3 For clarity, the use of vinyl siding is permissible in Heritage areas 2 & 3, however, vinyl siding shall not be eligible for funding.
4. Eligible Work Projects for the Heritage Maintenance Grant:
4.1 Measures undertaken for the maintenance and repair to façade elements abutting a public street, including but not limited to:
- Work to conserve the exterior such as: cornices, parapets, dormers, towers, windows, doors, canopies, and decorative features such as panels, mouldings, trims, carvings and similar architectural details. Subject to demonstrated need, cladding stabilization may also be eligible. This includes the repair and restoration of terracotta and the repointing of stone and brick masonry.
- Work to reconstruct missing exterior elements. This work must be based on drawings, photographs, surviving physical remnants, or other acceptable evidence of the original design.
- Repainting or re-coating of the exterior elements.
- Replacement or repair of roofing shingles, rain gutters, downspouts, flashing, exterior caulking and chimneys to prevent further deterioration due to weather infiltration.
5. Eligible Work Projects for the Heritage Conservation Grant:
5.1 Measures undertaken for the preservation, restoration and/or replacement of façade elements abutting a public street, including but not limited to:
- Preservation of existing exterior architectural elements. This may include the preservation of deteriorated windows and doors, cladding, roofing, foundation, cornices, mouldings, architectural trim, wrought iron fences, and other significant features.
- Restoration of exterior architectural elements which have been lost but for which the appearance can be clearly determined from physical evidence or documentary sources such as historic drawings or photographs.
- Replacement of existing exterior architectural elements that still exist but which are beyond preservation or repair. This includes replacement of deteriorated doors and windows, cladding, roofing, cornices, mouldings, architectural trim, wrought iron fences, and other significant features.
6. Not Eligible for Assistance:
6.1 The following works shall not be eligible:
- New construction;
- Demolition;
- The removal, storage and/or reuse of façade of demolished Heritage Buildings;
- Signage;
- Fences, outbuildings, and landscaping (exception: existing wrought iron fences along a public street);
- Building relocation;
- Vinyl siding;
- Legal fees and borrowing costs; and
- Owner’s labour.
7. Application for a Heritage Grant:
7.1 An application for a Heritage Grant shall be made in writing to the City between March 1 and May 1, annually.
7.2 An application shall be signed by the property owner or a person operating under the owner’s written consent. A copy of the written consent shall accompany the application.
7.3 Applications shall include:
- a completed application form:
- current, coloured photographs of the façade abutting a public street, with close-ups of the areas of work, for which the grant is applied. Photographs may be submitted digitally by e-mail or USB drive;
- two cost estimate quotes for the proposed work; and,
- supporting documentation substantiating the amount of increased costs attributed to the designation as a municipal Heritage Building or due to its location in one of the City’s Heritage Areas.
7.4 Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
8. Priority of Grant Applications:
8.1 Priority will be given to:
- designated municipal Heritage Buildings;
- first-time applications;
- the preservation, restoration and weatherproofing historic elements rather than cosmetic improvements; and
- applications supported by a Conservation Plan or a Heritage Report prepared by a design professional (architect, engineer or qualified restoration professional).
9. Review Process:
9.1 Applications will be evaluated based on eligibility of work and the work’s positive impact to the public streetscape.
9.2 The Heritage Planner, or his or her designate, shall review and make recommendations to the Built Heritage Experts Panel.
9.3 The Built Heritage Experts Panel shall make recommendations to Council.
9.4 Council may, in its sole discretion approve, approve with conditions, or refuse a grant application.
9.5 Applicants shall be notified in writing of Council’s decision.
10. Applicant’s Responsibilities on Approval of a Grant
10.1 Upon approval of a grant application the applicant shall:
- submit all costs and work plans to the City;
- obtain a building permit, if one is required, from the City;
- notify the City when there is any deviations to the costs and/or work plans;
- provide any other information as may be requested by Council; and,
- complete the project as set out in the grant application.
11. Funding:
11.1 Funding for the Heritage Financial Incentive Program may be established by Council on an annual bases during budget deliberations.
11.2 Each property shall be limited to one grant per calendar year, and two grants in any four consecutive calendar years.
12. Conditions for Grant Payment
12.1 Applicants are required to complete all work and submit proof of payment of all paid invoices pertaining to the work within 24 months from the date of Council’s approval of the grant.
12.2 Applicants shall submit coloured photographs of the completed work for which the grant is applied. Photographs may be submitted digitally by email or USB drive.
12.3 All work and documentation must be deemed satisfactory upon inspection by the City prior to the disbursement of the grant. If upon final inspection it has been determined that the work has not been completed as per approved plans; and/or, has not been completed in compliance with all applicable legislation, the grant will be cancelled.
12.4 The grant may be cancelled should the work associated with it remain incomplete 24 months after approval of the grant.
12.5 In addition, once a grant is approved, the City may waive any associate permit fees on the application.