City approves programs to incentivize large builds in downtown Orillia

City Council has approved a new suite of incentive programs geared towards projects that will add jobs and housing to downtown Orillia. The new programs, offered through the City’s Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Plan (DTCIP), are expected to roll out later this spring.

“Access to good jobs and housing in the City’s core is not only critical to attracting new investment to the community, but it also benefits our existing community and allows residents to pursue local careers,” said Mayor Steve Clarke. “The launch of these new programs will help mobilize larger projects in Downtown Orillia so they can happen sooner and in areas where our City needs them most. This has the potential to add a significant number of jobs and housing options to the core of our City.”

The recently approved programs include a Development Charge Grant Program, a Tax Increment Grant Program and a Brownfields Tax Assistance Grant Program. The programs are only available in the Community Improvement Plan project area (the City’s downtown core). To qualify for the programs, applicants must demonstrate that they’re meeting the high standards set through the DTCIP evaluation criteria, such as the amount of private funds invested, and the amount of jobs and housing created. Two of these programs, the Development Charge Program and Tax Increment Grant Program, previously had pilot projects approved in 2019, including a Tax Increment Grant for McLean & Dickey’s redevelopment of 4 King St.

Council approved the DTCIP in 2016 and launched the first five of the eight grant programs shortly after in 2017. The first five programs focused on small-to-medium sized projects that would help revitalize the community. Several notable projects have taken place in the first five years of the program, including the redevelopment of 27 Mississaga St. W. to accommodate The Common Stove restaurant and residential units; the redevelopment of 23 Mississaga St. W. to Creative Nomad Studios, a coworking space for artists and entrepreneurs; and the expansion of Apple Annie’s Café at 101 Mississaga St. E. to include an expanded retail space, rear entrance and façade.

Through the Downtown Tomorrow Grant Program so far, the City has helped facilitate the creation of 99 jobs, the retention of another 128 jobs, the development of housing units to accommodate 72 new residents, and the establishment of 15 new businesses.

“When we attend GTA-based trade shows our Downtown Tomorrow CIP Grant Program is the number one reason investors stop to ask us more about opportunities in the Orillia area,” said Laura Thompson, Senior Manager of Business Development. “The program has helped us gain recognition outside the community, which is especially important in ensuring we’re attracting developers who are experienced in brownfield redevelopment as this can be complex but transformative.”

Council allocated a total of $900,000 to the 2022 DTCIP Grant Program from the Community Improvement Plan reserve.

The new suite of programs is expected to be launched within the next six-to-eight weeks and staff have an ambitious communications and marketing plan to promote them to both existing property owners and investors throughout the province.

For more information on the DTCIP Grant Program, contact the City of Orillia Business Development Division at 705-325-4900, or visit orillia.ca/downtowncip.

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Laura Thompson
Senior Manager of Business Development
705-325-4900
lthompson@orillia.ca

Melissa Gowanlock
Manager of Communications
705-330-1951 (cell)
magowanlock@orillia.ca