The City of Port Colborne, Provincial, and Federal government offer a range of incentive programs for new or expanding businesses. The programs outlined below are available to businesses in Port Colborne, and most can be stacked together to provide a compelling package for investments in the manufacturing or logistics sectors. 

Comprehensive Community Improvement Plan (CIP)

The City retained RCI Consulting to conduct a review of the City’s six former Community Improvement Plans (CIPs). Finalized and approved by Council on November 28, 2023, the new Comprehensive CIP offers enhanced and expanded financial incentive programs to promote various types of community improvement including commercial and mixed use building revitalization in the Downtown, Main Street, and East Waterfront areas, as well as affordable housing and brownfield redevelopment across the urban area of the City of Port Colborne.

City staff and RCI Consulting hosted an open house, with a presentation, on July 14, 2022, to seek public input on potential revisions to the City’s CIPs. City Council also hosted a Legislated Public Meeting on September 26, 2023, to receive comments on the proposed new CIP.

Am I Eligible For a CIP Application?

Please note to be eligible for any of the below programs, the following conditions must be met first:

  1. Meet with City staff and discuss the project prior to application;
  2. Bring in completed application to the second floor of City Hall;
  3. Applications must be delivered to City Hall before noon on the second Thursday of each month to be reviewed by the CIP Committee for said month;
  4. Applications must be approved prior to beginning any construction related to the application.

The grants cannot be issued or applied to retroactively.

When Do I Have to Have My Application In By?

To submit your application for review, please ensure you provide a completed copy of the CIP application, at least two quotes, and any other information you may have. To be considered as soon as possible, please submit your application by 12:00 P.M. (EST) on the dates listed below:

  • January 16th, 2025
  • February 19th, 2025
  • March 20th, 2025
  • April 10th, 2025
  • May 15th, 2025
  • June 12th, 2025
  • July 10th, 2025
  • August 14th, 2025
  • September 11th, 2025
  • October 9th, 2025
  • November 13th, 2025
  • December 11th, 2025

For more information on Port Colborne Comprehensive CIP Incentive Programs and to schedule a pre-application meeting, please contact our Economic Development Officer, Bram Cotton.

Environmental Site Assessment Grant Program

A grant equal to 50% of the cost of an environmental assessment can be covered, so that more information surrounding brownfield properties can be discovered. This is to the amount of:

a) grant of $20,000 per study;

b) two studies per project; and,

c) $30,000 per project.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Brownfield (entire urban area)

Eligible Properties/Projects: All properties, but applicants must clearly demonstrate a legitimate intention to undertake eligible community improvement/redevelopment of the property.

Urban Design Grant Program 

A grant equal to 50% of the cost of preparing professional urban design studies, architectural/design drawings, and heritage impact assessments to a maximum grant of $2,000 per property/project.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront

Eligible Properties/Projects: All properties with potential for eligible community improvements

Facade and Property Improvement Grant Program

This grant provides funding to promote the rehabilitation, restoration, preservation, and improvement of front, side, and back facades of existing commercial, institutional, and mixed-use buildings. This grant also covers storefront improvements like display areas and signage. 

  • This can be equal to 50% of the cost of eligible front facade, storefront improvement, and restoration works up to a maximum grant per project of $20,000. The maximum grant can be increased by up to $5,000 (on a matching 50/50 basis) for projects on properties that are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Under this program, a separate grant also exists which covers:

  • Up to 50% of the cost of eligible side and/or rear facade improvement and restoration works up to maximum grant per project of $5,000 only where said facades are highly visible from a public road, public parking area, or public open space.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront

Eligible Properties/Projects: Existing commercial, institutional and mixed use buildings only

Residential Grant Program

This program provided a financial incentive to increase the supply of available housing via eligible properties/projects listed below.

This is achieved via a grant equal to 50% of the cost of renovating existing residential units and/or constructing new residential units priced at $15 per sq. ft, to a maximum grant of $15,000 per unit. This is limited to a maximum of 5 units per property/project totaling to a maximum grant of $75,000.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront

Eligible Properties/Projects:

i) Renovation to existing residential units in mixed use buildings to Building Code, Fire Code, and Property Standards Bylaw.

ii) Conversion of excess/vacant commercial space on upper stories of commercial and mixed use buildings into one or more net residential units.

iii) Intensification of existing mixed use or residential apartment/multi-unit building that adds one or more net residential units.

iv) Vacant lots (including parking lots) converting to mixed use or residential use where two or more net residential units are being created.

Affordable Rental Housing Grant Program

This program provides a financial incentive in the form of a grant to increase the supply of new affordable housing to the amount of:

A grant equal to 50% of the cost of constructing new affordable rental housing units priced at $15 per sq. ft., to a maximum grant of $15,000 per unit and a maximum of 5 units per property/project (total maximum grant of $75,000 per property/project).

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Entire urban area, but priority will be given to applications in Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront CIPAs.

Eligible Properties/Projects: New affordable rental housing units; rental housing units only created by eligible project types ii) to iv) above. Can be combined with the Residential Grant Program, in the Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront CIPAs, as applicable.

Brownfields Tax Assistance Program (TAP) 

Cancellation of the City property tax increase for up to give years during and after the redevelopment of a brownfield property to help offset the costs of remediation.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Brownfield (entire urban area)

Eligible Properties/Projects: Property must have a corresponding Brownfield TIG application

Cancellation of the Education Property Tax increase is subject to approval by the Minister of Finance and is a separate process from the CIP program application process.

Tax Increment Grant (TIG) Program

This program promotes substantial redevelopment, rehabilitations, development, infill, and intensification projects. This incentive is also designed with the aim to assist in securing project financing.

This program offers an annual TIG equal to 80% of City property tax increase generated by project for up to ten years following project completion. TIG may increase to 100% for affordable rental housing units.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront

Eligible Properties/Projects: Only projects that create a minimum increase in assessment value of the property (as determined by MPAC)

Development Charge Grant (DCG) Program

Main Street, Downtown and East Waterfront DCG – A grant equal to 50% of the City DC payable.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Main Street, Downtown, and East Waterfront

Eligible Properties/Projects: Applicants must choose between the TIG Program and the DCG Program.


Affordable Rental Housing DCG – A grant equal to 100% of the City DC payable on affordable rental housing units.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Entire urban area

Eligible Properties/Projects: Applicants must choose between a TIG Program and the DCG Program.


Brownfield DCG – A grant equal to up to 100% of the City DC payable.

Eligible Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA): Brownfield

Eligible Properties/Projects: Applicant must apply and be approved for a Brownfield TIG.

Niagara Gateway Economic Zone and Centre CIP
The Niagara Gateway Economic Zone and Centre Community Improvement Plan provides two incentives to encourage industrial development within the urban area of Port Colborne. These two programs are the Tax Increment Based Grant and the Development Charge Grant Program. 

Government of Ontario Incentive Programs

Southwestern Ontario Development Fund
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund promotes economic development in Southwestern Ontario, which includes Port Colborne. The fund provides financial assistance to promote the expansion and attraction of investment/business in Southwestern Ontario through support for capital spending, skills development, productivity enhancements, infrastructure needs and other similar economic development initiatives. Funding is targeted to key sectors. 

Government of Canada Incentive Program

Foreign Trade Zone Programs
The Government of Canada has three foreign trade zone style programs that can be used anywhere in Canada – properties do not need to be in or identified as foreign trade zones. The Duty Deferral Program allows duty payments to be deferred or refunded on goods that are imported to Canada, stored (or minimally processed) and then exported. The Export Distribution Centre Program provides relief from paying Harmonized Sales Tax on imported goods and domestically purchased goods. The program applies to importation of goods with limited valued-added production taking place, then exportation of the finished goods. The Exporters of Processing Services provides relief from paying Harmonized Sales Tax on imported goods provided the goods do not belong to the applicant and the goods are only stored or minimally processed, then exported. 

FedDev Ontario 
The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario administers 10 programs that provide funds targeted to specific sectors or toward key priorities. Funding opportunities vary by program.