Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Business owners eligible for financial assistance for facade improvement


With the recent economic downturn, you don't have to look too far around the downtown area to see the evidence that  a few years off of store front image maintenance can leave things looking just a little worse for wear.

With the front display for many a business one of the most important aspects of any commercial operation, presenting a modern, up to date and welcoming front entrance could be one of the keys to increased customers and sales.

For those business owners in the Downtown or Cow Bay areas needing a little help, the opportunity to spruce up their introduction to the public has arrived by way of the Prince Rupert Facade Improvement Program.

The City of Prince Rupert introduced the program last week, with an outline of the program posted to the city website. The notice details the nature of the program and what it can provide to business owners by way a 25 per cent reimbursement grant of up to a maximum of $5,000 per building, dedicated to the improvement of the facades of existing buildings in the two target areas.

Projects that are eligible for the reimbursement by way of the one time grant, must have a minimum total cost of $4,000 to qualify and cannot exceed the maximum of $200,000.

The program is being administered through the Prince Rupert and Port Edward Economic Development Corporation.

The Project review and selection process will be conducted by a group of 3 to 5 members from the community and will be chaired by Derek Baker, the Prince Rupert Economic Development Officer.

Successful grant applicants have until December 31, 2013 to complete their facade improvement projects.

The Application Guide and Application Form are both available through links to the City of Prince Rupert website.


News items on the facade improvement program can be found below.

July 31-- Downtown business: on the rebound? (N View e edition page A3)

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