Frontenac Working on County-Wide Community Improvement Plan
Investments from the Canada Community-Building Fund are helping Frontenac County develop a regional Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
Frontenac is investing $40,000 into the development of the plan, which will help boost commercial investment in the region by providing incentives and helping remove red tape for businesses.
A Community Improvement Plan identifies designated project areas within communities to facilitate economic development. Within the project area, existing businesses and potential investors may be able to work with the County or municipality to receive incentives like tax relief, grants or loans for property remediation, or assistance with façade or signage improvements. An overarching County-wide plan will allow for broader programs to support more significant investments, while still allowing individual municipalities to offer their own incentives.
The County’s Economic Development Department began the process in 2022 by consulting with the business community in Frontenac and local governments. Together they reviewed the County’s current economic development priorities, and Frontenac asked for input into the development of the plan.
With this consultation, new project areas in each municipality were defined, and a strategy was drafted. The next step will be to take the plan back to the municipalities to see what programs work best, and make adjustments.
Investments from the CCBF made it possible for the County to fund the development of the plan. Once finished, the CIP will be an impactful and effective program that will help keep businesses in the region, promote new investment, help create jobs, and contribute to the overall economic vitality of Frontenac County.