Community Improvement Plan and Fund coming to South Dundas

MORRISBURG – Community Improvement Plans are in the process of being established at both the local and regional levels.

Staff from the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry and South Dundas economic development officer Rob Hunter each made separate presentations to South Dundas council at the November 7th meeting.

As a result of those presentations, South Dundas council has authorized Hunter to move forward to draft a CIP, in house.

Hunter has previous experience with CIP’s having been part of the establishment of North Dundas’ CIP during his tenure there.

With the establishment of a CIP, South Dundas will be able to flow funds to local businesses for fitting projects such as sign and facade improvements in specific areas. The municipality could even choose to provide small commercial loans.

Once South Dundas has a CIP in place, the counties CIP will be dropped into the document allowing businesses access to funds for certain types of improvements deemed a priority at the regional level including; agriculture, brownfields and roofed accommodations.

Hunter said that he will recommend that South Dundas council allocate $25,000 to the Community Improvement Plan Fund in the 2018 budget.