A community improvement plan, which includes an economic development financial incentive plan, submitted by the town to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing earlier this year has come back with the province’s seal of approval.
Municipal planner Faye Flatt said the working group that devised the plan had a meeting Monday to discuss the minor changes to the plan ordered by the ministry.
The group also decided to hold a public meeting next Monday (Sept. 22) at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre to notify residents of the community plan, as well as council’s intention to pass a bylaw to approve the economic financial incentive plan within it.
Flatt said while council is not obligated to take input from the public at this point, it has been willing all along to make citizens part of the process.
But she noted the alterations in question are, in fact, minor (e.g., changing the particular wording from “rebate” to “grant or loan” as per the Municipal Planning Act).
Additional information relating to the community improvement plan and financial economic incentive plan may be obtained from Flatt prior to the public meeting by calling 274-5323 ext. 275 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
While the town may pass a bylaw to implement the initiatives contained therein, these won’t come into effect until the time period to file an appeal of the modifications expires Sept. 29.
The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce notified all of its members that any individual, corporation, or public body could appeal the changes to the plan.
But Scott Abick, a municipal planning advisor with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said no such appeals have been filed yet.
The broader community improvement plan is to facilitate the efficient and orderly implementation of community improvement policies to encourage the revitalization, rehabilitation, and redevelopment of properties within designated project areas.
Financial incentive programs established through a community improvement plan—and approved by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing—provide the opportunity for a municipality to make grants or loans to the owners of lands and buildings to pay for the cost of rehabilitating such properties, which otherwise would be considered “bonusing” and prohibited by the ministry.
For instance, the incentives in the plan will allow a potential developer to get a break on landfill for a site or a low-interest mortgage on property purchased from the town.
A developer would be assessed as to whether they qualify for any such incentives, with factors such as job creation and long-term benefit to the town’s tax base as part of the consideration.
The incentive plan working group consisted of Economic Development Officer Geoff Gillon, CAO Bill Naturkach, former town treasurer Diane Pearson, and Flatt.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
