Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Belleville is updating its Community Improvement Plan (CIP) and asking residents to weigh in on priorities for affordable housing, downtown revitalization and brownfield redevelopment.
The CIP is intended to encourage local development by offering grants and incentives that reduce the cost of construction and renovation projects. According to the city, the updated plan will introduce revised programs aimed at increasing the supply of affordable rental housing, improving the downtown core and supporting the cleanup and reuse of brownfield sites.
An online survey, open until July 18, asks residents and stakeholders to identify key priorities that should guide how funding is allocated. The city says feedback will help determine the criteria used to evaluate grant applications—such as proximity to transit, environmental sustainability or the inclusion of family-sized and accessible housing units.
“The CIP is a tool that supports revitalization, beautification and economic development across Belleville,” the city said in a news release. “With updated financial incentive programs, we aim to address housing needs, improve downtown properties and encourage brownfield remediation.”
New incentives are being designed to support “missing middle” housing types like duplexes, triplexes and townhouses, while downtown programs could include grants for façade improvements, fire retrofitting and upper-floor residential conversions.
Brownfield funding would help offset the cost of environmental studies, site cleanup and redevelopment, particularly in underused or contaminated areas that could support new housing or community uses.
More information, including an online survey and background documents, is available at Belleville.ca/Projects.
City staff expect to finalize the updated CIP later this year.
