Application period now open for City's Business Facade program

Today marks the first day that the City of Prince Rupert will be accepting applications towards grants to improve the façades of businesses in the community.

The program offers  a 50% reimbursement grant up to a maximum of $5,000 per building to improve the façades of existing businesses. The funding comes from a program hosted by Northern Development Initiative Trust.

The guiding themes of the program for the City of Prince Rupert  include:

Making Prince Rupert a more inviting and interesting place to eat, shop, walk and play. 

Promoting the marketability of retail and commercial businesses 

 Helping building owners to attract and retain tenants 

Improving the quality of life residents, workers and visitors to Prince Rupert enjoy. 

Building civic pride among the business community and the citizens.

The applications are being accepted by the City's Economic Development Office, Paul Venditelli, the Manager of Economic Development and Transportation for the City took note of how the program benefits local businesses.

“This program is a great opportunity for building owners to lessen the financial burden of building maintenance and improvement ... It’s great to see what past recipients have done to spruce up their buildings with the funds, and we are looking forward to seeing the positive impact of this new intake.”

Prince Rupert's Wheelhouse Brewing Company is one of
a number of local businesses to take advantage of past
facade grant opportunities

The program has been used in the past by some recognizable names in the commercial sector, including The Argosy, Ashley Home Furniture and Wheelhouse Brewing to name a few.

Improvements that are eligible for funding include exterior lighting, window/siding replacement, façade painting, accessibility improvements, signage, awnings, and more.

To be eligible for this one-time funding opportunity, participants must be located within the Downtown and Cow Bay Development Permit Areas of the City.

Projects must have a minimum total cost of $4,000 in order to qualify and a maximum of $200,000.

Today's information statement can be reviewed here, while the details to the grant program can be explored here.

The Guideline booklet for the Facade program is available here.

For more items of note on the City's commercial sector see our archive page here.

A wider overview of City Council initiatives can be found from our Council Archive page.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.