Toronto Main Street Recovery and Rebuild Initiative | Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program

The Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program offers matching funding of 50 per cent to commercial business operators and owners of storefronts that are vacant (or, in certain limited circumstances, at risk of becoming vacant) to undertake interior renovations. This program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario 

Objective

Small retail businesses are essential to the vitality and success of Toronto’s main streets and neighbourhoods. They are also key drivers of economic prosperity for residents, families, communities and the city as a whole. The Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program was developed in support of the recovery and long-term success of local small businesses\

Funding Available

The program offers matching funding equal to 50 per cent of the cost of interior improvements to properties that are commercial at street level.

• The maximum base grant under the program is $20,000 (based on a minimum of $40,000 of improvements).
• Further funding of up to $4,000, for a total maximum grant of $24,000, is available for upgrades to meet AODA accessibility standards .
• Additional funding of up to $20,000 ($4,000 per additional unit, for up to five units) is available for multi-unit properties.

Eligibility

The Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program is available to owners and tenants of vacant properties or occupied properties which meet one of the following criteria:

• Properties that previously received support under the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) Program.
• Properties located in corridors impacted by Major Transit Expansion-related construction (Ontario Line, Eglinton Crosstown, etc.).

The program is only available to properties within the city of Toronto that are used for commercial purposes at street level or have a direct access to a street from another floor. A minimum of three eligible improvements must be made.

Tenants who apply for the program must have written permission from the property owner to make any improvements to the property and obtain grant funding for that purpose.

Eligible Projects

The following improvements would be considered eligible for a Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant:

• Structural upgrades, electrical work and interior lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), plumbing and plumbing fixtures, interior painting, flooring/ceiling/wall finishes, permanently affixed counters, merchandise displays and accessibility improvements.
• Design fees may be covered to a maximum of $2,000 per application as part of the base grant (including architectural, engineering, certified AODA specialist and Building Code Identification Number (BCIN) registered designer fees).
• Applications must include a minimum of three eligible improvements to each property/unit.

Accessibility Improvements

Applicants are encouraged to make use of the Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program to make interior spaces more accessible. Examples include interior ramps or accessible public washrooms. 

Interior accessibility improvements that meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) design standards are eligible for additional grant funding of up to $4,000, increasing the maximum base grant from $20,000 to $24,000.

Ineligible Projects

• Only one application for a business chain or for any franchise organization is permitted.
• Applications for work totaling less than $5,000 are ineligible.
• The program is not to cover maintenance costs of existing interior property elements (i.e. to fix broken windows, clean clogged plumbing or replace ceiling panels).
• Places of worship, institutional buildings, not-for-profit commercial buildings, and residential buildings are ineligible for the program.
• Moveable furniture, window coverings, equipment, appliances, computers, IT expenses or elements such as tiling outside of the front door, are ineligible.

How to Apply

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