Community Improvement Plan (CIP)

The Community Improvement Plan (CIP) provides financial incentives for eligible projects that target key planning and growth management objectives for development within Barrie.

Eligible projects include affordable housing projects, brownfield site redevelopment, and mixed use developments within the Urban Growth Centre, key intensification areas, and the preservation of built heritage.

Incentive Programs

There are three incentive programs offered through the CIP:

1. Redevelopment Grant Program
   Currently on hold.
2. Preservation of Built Heritage Grant Program
3. Affordable Housing Development Grant Program
   Currently on hold.

Proposed developments have to satisfy general eligibility requirements and then specific eligibility requirements under each program.

The incentive programs include things such as a rebate on certain fees and permits (such as planning application fees and building permit fees), affordable residential units per door incentive, a tax increment based grant on eligible brownfield redevelopments and a grant for renovation and restoration work on buildings on the Municipal Heritage Register.

Purpose

The purpose of the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is to provide financial incentives to support key planning and growth management objectives, development of affordable housing units across the City, development of a mix of uses within the Urban Growth Centre (UGC) as well as support for built heritage preservation.

Community Improvement Plans are a tool under the Planning Act used to attract investment and foster redevelopment. The effect of the proposed CIP will be to provide financial incentives designed to achieve emerging community goals and priorities which target key planning and growth management objectives for development within the City.

Broadly, the objectives of this CIP are to:

1. Facilitate the development of a mix of land uses within the UGC;
2. Support built heritage preservation; and
3. Support the provision of a variety of affordable housing units by offering financial support based on a continuum of housing options.

More specifically, the plan is intended to:

1. Intensify the UGC and strategic growth areas by encouraging a mix of land uses and an increase in the number of residential units.
2. Make use of existing municipal services and infrastructure.
3. Create a mix of unit types across the continuum of affordable housing options, geared towards the low and low to moderate income households.
4. Increase the number of affordable housing units within the City.
5. Facilitate renovation, restoration and adaptive reuse of existing buildings in the Urban Growth Centre and buildings included on the Municipal Heritage Register.