• IV. THAT, the CAO and City Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign the Small Business Investment Grant Agreement; and,

• V. THAT the approval to participate in the Small Business Investment Grant Program EXPIRE if the grant agreement is not signed by applicant within one year following Council approval. The City Planner may extend the deadline for up to one year upon request from the applicant.

Executive Summary: N/A

Background:

City Council approved the Economic Revitalization Community Improvement Plan (CIP) at its January 31, 2011 meeting via CR 50/2011. The adopting By-law 30-2011 was passed by Council at its February 14, 2011 meeting.

The Economic Revitalization CIP provides financial incentives to encourage new investment in targeted economic sectors for the purposes of diversifying the local economy and creating/retaining jobs. The CIP allows the City to take a variety of measures to further the objectives of the Economic Revitalization CIP that would otherwise be prohibited by Ontario’s Municipal Act. This includes the acquisition and preparation of land; construction, repair, rehabilitation or improvement of buildings; the sale, lease or disposal of land and buildings; and the provision of grants to owners or tenants of land—all of which must conform with the objectives and policies contained within the CIP.

To date, City Council has approved a number of applications made under the CIP representing a range of targeted economic sectors including manufacturing, research and development, creative industries, logistics, health & life sciences, and tourism.

Dillon Consulting (acting as agent) has applied for financial incentives under the Small Business Investment Grant Program on behalf of the property owner—Kadri Family Holdings Ltd. The holding company is jointly owned by Eddie Kadri and Rolla Halabi.

The subject property is located at 1567 Ouellette Avenue and is currently vacant (see Location Map). The property is 0.16 hectares (0.41 acre) in size, designated ‘Mixed Use’ in the City’s Official Plan and zoned Commercial District 3.5 (CD 3.5), which permits a range of commercial, office, and residential uses.

Discussion:

Small Business Investment Grant Program  

The Small Business Investment Grant Program is intended to stimulate investment in targeted economic sectors by small businesses that create or retain jobs in Windsor. Small businesses with less than 20 employees are eligible to apply—provided an investment results in an increase of at least $25,000 to the assessed value of a