Facade and Signage Improvement Grant (Heart of the City CIP)
This grant pays up to $10,000 for facade work and up to $2,000 for new signage. It is a cost-share grant: you pay first and get 50% back after approval. Applications are open.
“Funding is based on 50% of the costs to a maximum of $10,000 for facade work and $2,000 for new signage.”
From the official program page
Before you spend any money
Get the city's approval BEFORE you start work or buy anything. If you start early, you can lose this funding.
At a glance
Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Confirm current details with the official program administrator.
Is this for you?
- You own or operate a business in Cornwall's designated downtown or Le Village area
- You are planning exterior facade or signage improvements
- You can secure council approval before starting any work or buying materials
Probably not the right fit if
- You are located outside Cornwall's specific CIP or BIA zones
- You have already started or completed the work without prior approval
How much you'd realistically get
For example, a storefront refresh (new facade, paint and exterior lighting):
Project cost
$20,000
Program pays
$10,000
You pay
$10,000
That's the program's maximum. A bigger project works, and the amount above the cap is yours to fund.
Illustration using this program's published rate and cap; amounts and eligibility are decided by the program.
Façade: 50% of costs up to $10,000; Signage: 50% of costs up to $2,000
What may be supported
- Building facade improvements
- New signage
- Exterior renovation of commercial buildings
How applying works
Effort: mediumYou apply to the city with quotes and photos, get approval before you start, then claim your costs after the work is done.
- 01Confirm your property is in the program area and funds are available
- 02Get the city's written pre-approval BEFORE starting
- 03Complete the approved work
- 04Submit your costs for reimbursement
Documents commonly required
- Quotes/estimates for the work
- Photos of the current storefront
- Proof of property ownership or owner's consent
What to know before you count on it
- Cost-share: you pay for the work first, then you're reimbursed (about half) after it's done and inspected.
- Only properties in Cornwall's designated downtown or Le Village area qualify. Confirm your address is inside it before you spend.
- Municipal funding is limited each year. Confirm money is still available.
What are your odds?
To qualify, your property must be in downtown Cornwall or Le Village, and the city must approve your project before work starts. The city's budget is limited each year, so ask if money is still available.
More funding by what it pays for
Funding for Storefront Signage
Grants and loans that may help pay for new storefront signage.
Funding for Storefronts and Facades
Grants and loans that may help pay for storefront and facade work.
Funding for Accessibility
Grants for ramps, doors and washrooms may help pay for accessibility improvements.
What you can combine it with
May combine with provincial/federal programs for the same project. We'll check what stacks.
Related programs
Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit
Up to $45,000
Corporations can claim a 10% refundable corporate income tax credit on eligible commercial or industrial building expenditures in designated Ontario…
Checked
Starter Company Plus
Up to $5,000
Starter Company Plus pairs a grant of up to $5,000 with hands-on training and one-on-one guidance from your local Small Business Enterprise Centre.
Checked
Worth reading before you apply
Get alerted when this changes
Programs open and close, budgets run out, rules change. We send one short email when something changes that matters for this program.
Page last updated ; status and deadline checked . Source: official program page.