Commercial Façade Improvement Grant Program

Overview

The Commercial Façade Improvement Grant Program provides funding to commercial property owners and tenants of commercial property, to redesign, renovate or restore facades on commercial buildings that are commercial use at street level and may have commercial and or residential uses on upper floors. The building façade must face a public road or a right-of-way that is accessible to the public.

Objectives

The program helps to improve the appearance of a commercial building’s façade by providing a new look, enhancing neighborhoods streetscapes and providing a more pleasant environment to work, shop and eat.

Eligibility

An applicant must be the property owner or a commercial tenant that has the permission of the property owner.

Eligibility improvements include, but are not limited to, masonry, brick cleaning and restoration, new doors, new windows, outdoor decorative or security lighting, outdoor security equipment, outdoor entrance tiling, installation of canopies or awnings, repair of cornice, parapets and other architectural features, outdoor wall mounted signs and exterior painting as part of the eligible improvements.

Wheelchair accessibility ramping, accessible railings and accessible door openers that meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards are also eligible.

A minimum of three eligible improvements are required for an application.

Ineligibility

The following types of improvements are not eligible for the Commercial Façade Improvement Grant Program:

• Roof signs or stand-alone ground mounted signs
• New or Upgraded Roof
• Painting of brick or stucco, unless the existing brick or stucco is already painted prior to submitting the application
• New stucco work
• Door and window banners
• Door and window decals
• Maintenance work to repair broken windows, remove vectors (birds, animals and insects) from signs or lighting fixtures, replace light bulbs and tubes from lighting fixtures, and paint touch-ups of cracking or faded façade surfaces.

Applications are disqualified if:

• Any of the proposed improvements are completed or underway, before approval of the proposed improvements by the City
• The subject property received the maximum façade improvement grant in the previous ten years
• The building has a place of worship use, a public institutional use, a not-for-profit use or a residential use without street level commercial uses.

Funding

Half of the costs of eligible improvements is covered up to a maximum $12,500 grant for $25,000 worth of improvements. The minimum grant is $2,500 for $5,000 worth of improvements.

Additional funding of half of the costs of accessibility AODA upgrade improvements up to a maximum $2,500 grant for $5,000 worth of improvements.

For multiunit commercial properties, $2,500 per additional unit up to five units totaling a maximum bonus grant of $12,500.

How to Apply

Applications are now being accepted. Eligible applicants can apply below until September 30 or until all the grant funding has been expended.

Apply Online

For questions about the Commercial Façade Improvement Grant Program, please contact Michael Saunders at 416-392-1005 or Michael.Saunders@toronto.ca.