At the last Council meeting in June, Council approved six new grant applications for the 2024 Community Improvement Plan Grant for a total expenditure of $34,400.00.
The amount available for this program in the 2024 Capital Budget was $59,718 due to an accumulation of unspent funds from the program years 2019-2022 and 2023 CIP
Programs. This decision leaves $25,318.00 in the funding envelope to be allocated to approved projects in future application intakes.
The 2024 CIP Program was opened March 4th and applications were received until April 26th, 2024. A total of eight (8) applications were received in the Millbrook and Rural CIP Areas of the Township. Two (2) had merit however additional information is required to complete the application and had not been received at the time of writing this report. Staff are working with the proponents to collect the required information and will recommend they put forward an application in the next intake.
Among the approved projects are $10,000 for Woodleigh Farms towards a $330,000 expenditure to build a pyrolysis plant to convert biomass waste into an organic soil amendment called biochar as well as a $5,000 contribution to a $30,000 expenditure for the professional and technical services required to design the plant and its electrical components; $8,000 to Peterborough Curling Club towards a $19,000 expenditure to renovate its siding and signage; $10,000 to Golden Rural High Speed for the purchase of equipment used to install underground fibre optic cable; $800 to Millbrook Mercantile towards a $1,600 construction of a portable sunshine over the outdoor patio and another $600 towards a $1,200 expenditure to repaint and seal the exterior of their building at 28 King St. East.
The CIP program provides financial incentives for eligible projects that are expected to stimulate economic growth in the area. Eligible projects in this year’s iteration of the program include rural and agricultural economic development, sustainability, façade and signage improvements, and sidewalk cafés. Public funding under the program can provide up to a maximum of 50% of project costs with upside limits ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per applicant. KG