Pilot program to encourage restoration and redevelopment of Ottawa heritage buildings extended

A program developed to ensure heritage buildings in Ottawa are properly maintained has been extended until 2024.

In a memo to council members, Court Curry, the City of Ottawa's manager of right of way, heritage and urban design services provided an update on the Heritage Community Improvement Plan (CIP), which encourages the restoration and adaptive re-use of designated heritage buildings. 

Back in July 2016, the City announced the creation of the Mayor's Heritage Matters Task Force, a group made up of city staff and stakeholders. A principal goal of the task force was to develop tools to avoid the demolition of heritage buildings due to neglect and ensure assistance was available to eligible property owners.

The task force recommended a three-year pilot program for the Heritage CIP, which offers a grant equal to 75 per cent of the incremental tax resulting from the project, over a 10-year period. 

“Through the CIP, the city can offer financial incentives to property owners undertaking restoration of heritage attributes for a redevelopment proposal, and assist in achieving improved building architecture, site design and site landscaping,” Curry stated in the memo. 

A maximum of $500,000, or the total of the restoration costs is available to each project, whichever is less. 

Curry added there has been considerable interest in the program, specifically in the last few months, with four applications received, and another two applications expected in the coming months. 

As part of the original approval of the program, council asked staff to report back on the results of the pilot in the fourth quarter of 2022 and for the planning, real estate and economic development department to initiate a review in 2023.

In order to coordinate with that review, the pilot program will be extended for one additional year to January 2024.