MAPLETON – Council here has agreed to more than double the township’s annual funding allocation for its Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
The budget allocation is set to swell from $20,000 to $35,000 in 2026 and then to $50,000 in 2027.
Council approved the increase during a regular council meeting on June 10, but not without contention.
Mayor Gregg Davidson and councillors Marlene Ottens and Lori Woodham voted in favour, while councillors Michael Martin and Amanda Reid were opposed.
According to a report presented to council during that meeting, “Mapleton’s CIP, established in 2017, serves as a critical framework for fostering economic growth and revitalization within our municipality.
“The plan is dedicated to providing targeted grants to local businesses and organizations that are actively improving their physical spaces, which enhances the local economy and improves the community’s aesthetic appeal and functionality.”
The goals of the CIP are to make Mapleton:
- “a business friendly community” by stimulating economic development and supporting new businesses in key areas of economic activity; and
- an “inviting destination” by revitalizing and beatifying public and private properties through physical and aesthetic improvements.
The CIP includes grants for:
- design and study;
- planning application and building permit fees;
- facade, signage and property improvement;
- building improvement;
- accessibility;
- building conversion/expansion;
- major redevelopment tax increment equivalent; and
- residential conversion, rehabilitation and intensification.
Not all of the programs are available in a given year – “township staff and council will determine which programs will be available, based on township goals, priorities and available funding,” officials note.
Township staff have been working with consultants to review and revise the CIP over the last few months, and proposed an updated CIP during the meeting.
Council authorized the mayor and clerk to sign a bylaw adopting the updated CIP after a 20-day public review period.
“The proposed revisions include new grant opportunities, streamlined application processes and incentives that respond to emerging industry trends,” the report states.
“Our goal is to empower local businesses to thrive, ensuring they can make impactful investments that benefit the entire community.”
The revisions expand the CIP’s scope to include industrial project areas and licensed home childcare project areas.
The revised CIP also includes a new licensed home childcare grant for up to $2,000.
Martin proposed an amendment to exclude licensed home childcare from CIP, but the amendment was defeated.
He told the Advertiser he proposed the amendment because “licensed home childcare is the mandate of the County of Wellington, not that of the Township of Mapleton.”
He said the township “is already funding initiatives that fall outside of the mandate,” including the Mapleton Minto Health Team and township-run before- and after-school programs.
“These all come off the township levy and essentially have Mapleton residents paying double as funding is provided to other entities to provide these services,” Martin said.
“Considering our national and global economic instability, I’m not sure now is the time to continue to fund items that fall outside of our mandate, but rather continue to make better, and more efficient use of our levy dollars as we’ll continue to see inflationary pressures internally for services within our mandate.”
The increased funding allocation is set to come from planning and economic development reserve funds.
“The 2025 budget included a budgeted allocation of $86,400” for those reserves, the report states.
“As of Dec. 31, 2024, the planning and economic development reserve funds totalled $157,265.”
