To be eligible for any of the grants, the General Eligibility criteria below need to be met.

 General Eligibility Criteria
  •  All incentive program applications must include completed application forms as well as supporting materials such as detailed work plans, cost estimates and contracts, specifically for projects that do not require a building permit, applicable reports and any additional information and/or reports, studies as required by the City.
  • The lands and buildings subject to an application must be located within the CIPA designated by by-law for this CIP.
  • Only projects that result in the creation of new residential units will be eligible for HAF funded Financial Incentives.
  • All projects must contribute to achieving one or more community improvement objectives (as identified in Section 3.1.2).
  • Unless otherwise specified, registered and assessed property owners, tenants with written consent of property owners, and agents appointed by the property owner may be eligible for Financial Incentives.
  • The total value of all grants provided to an owner shall in no case exceed the total value of eligible costs associated with the community improvement project.
  • Unless otherwise specified in the Program Specific Eligibility Criteria (Section 5.3), an applicant may be eligible for multiple grants during the term of this CIP.
  • Financial incentives will not be applied retroactively to works started prior to approval of applications and any application for costs incurred prior to the adoption of this CIP will not be considered eligible, with the exception of the period from February 29, 2024 to the ratification of this Plan.
  • The property owner must have no outstanding property tax arrears or any other outstanding City obligation on the subject property at the time of application or during the term of the grant.
  • Applicants will be required to disclose all other funding sources, including governmental, private, or not-for-profit funding to support the project. These shall be taken into consideration in the review of applications and the value of incentives provided by the City may be reduced, at the sole discretion of the CIP Implementation Staff.
  • The proposed works will conform with all applicable policies, standards, and procedures, including (but not limited to) the Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Urban Design Guidelines, and Site Plan Control, in addition to being subject to a review and the issuance of necessary Planning and development approvals and building permits pursuant to the Ontario Building Code.
  • If a property to be rehabilitated is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, the improvements shall not compromise the reasons for designation. In such cases, the CIP Grant Application will be circulated to the City’s Heritage Advisory Committee for review and comment.
  • The value of grant associated with each of the Financial Incentive Programs offered within this CIP will be proportional to the number of purpose-built rental dwelling units on a given property.
  • Programs under this CIP are not eligible for projects and/or properties that would inadvertently raise the rent for existing rental units that are currently in the housing stock if programs were undertaken.
  • Dwelling units developed under this Plan shall not be permitted to be used for short-term accommodation. For clarity, it is not the intent of this CIP to develop or redevelop a residential dwelling unit for the purpose of short-term accommodation

If General Eligibility criteria are met, there are additional criteria specific to each grant that must also be met.

Downtown and Core Areas (North Core, South Core & Westfort Business Area)

Grants are available for eligible construction and/or restoration projects in the downtown and core areas through the Strategic Core Area Community Improvement Plan (CIP) and the newly-adopted Thunder Bay Housing Community Improvement Plan (HCIP).

 Downtown and Core Areas Maps
 The North Core, South Core, and Westfort Business Area are designated as CIP project areas. Click the links below to view maps of the specific strategic core areas.

Grants available for eligible projects in the Downtown and Core Areas:

Construction Assistance Grant Program

This program is available for eligible projects within the city's Strategic Core Areas. It is a stand-alone grant stream funded by the Housing Accelerator Fund designed to stimulate the development of new residential units within the city's strategic core areas.

This program is designed to support property owners and developers by providing financial incentives to assist in the development of new units in the City's strategic core areas. Applications are available now, apply today!

Other grants and financial incentives for projects in the strategic core areas

The CIP offers additional grants for eligible construction and/or restoration projects in the downtown and core areas. Projects should promote new life and growth in core areas and encourage public and private investment, and support the long-term economic, social and cultural health of these Strategic Core Areas. Learn more about other downtown and core area grants available.

Urban Low-Rise Zone

Is your property in the Urban Low-Rise (UL1) Zone? 

Find your property's zoning by using the interactive zoning map.

Grants available for eligible projects in the Urban Low-Rise Zone:

The Thunder Bay Housing Community Improvement Plan allows the City to distribute Housing Accelerator dollars to successful applicants for eligible projects that build Thunder Bay by adding new residential units.

These dollars will flow through the four activated grant streams:

 Planning and Building Permit Fees Grant

 The Planning and Building Permit Fees Grant supports development by providing up to $10,000 toward fees for Planning Applications or Building Permit Fees for eligible projects aligning with the intent of the Community Improvement Plan: adding density to the City of Thunder Bay and contributing to a more diverse housing stock by reducing barriers to creating multi-unit residential homes and assisting property owners with creating additional dwelling units.

 

 Eligible Costs

 Examples of costs covered by the grant include:

  • City of Thunder Bay Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendments;
  • Minor Variance;
  • Consent to Sever;
  • Plan of Condominium;
  • Plan of Subdivision;
  • Site Plan Control;
  • Development Agreements;
  • Building Permits

The grant does not apply to any performance or maintenance guarantees, required professional studies, newspaper notices, or deposits from participation at the Ontario Land Tribunal or Court proceedings.
 Payment
 This grant is paid after the project is complete and final inspect passed per the building permit process.
 Relationship to Other Grants
 It is intended the Planning and Building Permit Fees Grant will support both the Multi-Unit Residential Grant and the Additional Dwelling Unit grant.
 Multi-Unit Residential Grant

 The Multi-Unit Residential grant is intended to encourage the creation of well-constructed, sustainable, and safe  projects where two or more self-contained units are built.

Value

  • 100% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $25,000 per unit above the 70% maximum density of the zone
  • The total maximum value per property is up to $300,000

What does “above 70% maximum density of the zone” mean?

  • Most homes in Thunder Bay are within the Urban Low-Rise Zone, which allows up to 6 units per lot. If your lot can support 6 units, you will be eligible to apply for $25,000 per unit above 4.2 units (70% of 6).
  • If you build 5 units, you would be eligible to apply for funding for 0.8 units (5 units subtracted by 4.2 units), which would be $20,000 (0.8 multiplied by $25,000).
 Eligible Costs
 
  • Works related to the Ontario Building Code or Fire Code Compliance
    • Structural
    • Electrical
    • Safe egress
    • Ventilation
    • Fire protection, including associated insulation
    • Similar improvements
  • Permanent finishing materials and decorative elements
    • Construction materials
    • Painting
    • Drywall
    • Trim
    • Permanent light fixtures
    • Flooring
    • Countertops
    • Cabinetry
  • Costs for professional studies, plans, or designs
    • Conceptual Plans
    • Structural Analysis
    • Traffic or parking study
    • Site Plan Drawings
    • Environmental Drawings
    • Architectural studies
    • Engineering Plans
    • Interior Design Plans
    • Market Analysis and/or Feasibility Study
    • Other site-specific studies or plans which may be required or recommended by the City at the time of a pre-application submission meeting or pre-consultation under the Planning Act
 Payment
 This grant is paid after the project is complete and final inspect passed per the building permit process.
 Relationship to Other Grants
 This grant may be supported by the Planning and Building Permit Fee Grant.
 Additional Dwelling Units Grant
 The Additional Dwelling Unit Grant is intended to encourage home or property owners to add legal additional units to a residential or mixed-use building that are safe and contribute to the limited supply of diverse rental housing. This can be within the building as an apartment, an addition to the building, or a backyard home on the property.

Value

  • 100% of eligible costs to a maximum of $20,000 per unit
 Project Eligibility
 
  • Residential or mixed-use building located within the designated project area
  • A self-contained additional unit with private kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area must be created
  • One of the following costing options must be met
    • One detailed independent contractor estimate for each component of the proposed eligible work;
    • Two estimates covering all the components of the eligible work, the lowest of which will be used as a base for the Grant Funding amount;
    • The building permit construction value, to be confirmed by receipts and paid invoices; or
    • A detailed materials list, confirmed by receipts and/or paid invoices, for the improvements completed by the property owner

 
 Eligible Costs
 
  • Works related to the Ontario Building Code or Fire Code Compliance
    • Structural
    • Electrical
    • Safe egress
    • Ventilation
    • Fire protection, including associated insulation
    • Similar improvements
  • Permanent finishing materials and decorative elements
    • Construction materials
    • Painting
    • Drywall
    • Trim
    • Permanent light fixtures
    • Flooring
    • Countertops
    • Cabinetry
  • Costs to complete any of the following types of studies, plans, or designs
    • Conceptual plans
    • Structural analysis
    • Site plan drawings
    • Architectural studies
    • Engineering plans
    • Other site-specific studies or plans which may be required or recommended by the City at the time of a pre-application submission meeting or pre-consultation under the Planning Act
  • Costs for the services of a design professional, professional engineer, or architect as may be required in association with the above-noted improvements
 Payment
 This grant is paid after the project is complete and final inspect passed per the building permit process.
 Relationship to Other Grants
 This grant may be supported by the Planning and Building Permit Fee Grant and the Servicing Grant.
 Servicing Grant
 The Servicing Grant provides support to home or property owners participating in the Additional Dwelling Unit Grant where upgrades to municipal servicing such as water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer are needed to construct the additional unit(s).

Value

  • 100% of eligible costs up to $10,000 where municipal servicing upgrades are needed to support the creation of the additional unit(s)
  • The funds will be applied to work on City-owned lands first, with any remaining funding being used for upgrades on private lands

 

 Eligible Costs
 
  • Municipal infrastructure work including the improvement or reconstruction of existing on-site public infrastructure required to create the additional unit(s)
    • Water services
    • Sanitary sewer
    • Storm sewer
  • Installation of municipal servicing as directed by the Infrastructure, Development and Operations Department
  • Costs to complete any of the following types of studies, plans, or designs
    • Conceptual plans
    • Structural analysis
    • Site plan drawings
    • Architectural studies
    • Engineering plans
    • Other site-specific studies or plans which may be required or recommended by the City at the time of a pre-application submission meeting or pre-consultation under the Planning Act
  • Costs for the services of a design professional, professional engineer, or architect as may be required in association with the above-noted improvements
 Relationship to Other Grants
 This grant is intended to support the Additional Dwelling Unit grant
 Payment
 This grant is paid after the project is complete and final inspect passed per the building permit process.
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