Timmins council approves housing plan with per-door grants, tax increment rebates and fee rebates

Timmins city council has approved a new Housing Community Improvement Plan that includes three incentive programs — the Per Door Grant Program, the Tax Increment Rebate Program and the Municipal Fee Rebate Program — according to a Feb. 18 announcement by the City of Timmins.

The plan sets out how eligible residential projects could receive grants or rebates tied to the number of new units created, changes in municipal property taxes after development, or certain planning application fees.

Under the Per Door Grant Program, the city said it will offer a one-time grant of up to $7,500 per unit for projects that create at least two and no more than four new dwelling units.

Projects that create five or more residential units can apply under the Tax Increment Rebate Program. The city said eligible projects can receive an annual rebate on a portion of the increase in municipal property taxes, calculated as the difference between property taxes before and after the development. The rebate is paid over five years as a percentage refund.

The Municipal Fee Rebate Program reimburses up to 100% of Planning Act application fees for qualifying housing projects, including zoning by-law amendments and official plan amendments.

Mayor Michelle Boileau said the goal of the plan is “to increase the overall supply of housing in Timmins.”

Council also approved a Housing Community Improvement Area that sets which properties are eligible to apply for the incentives. The city said the project area follows the settlement boundary areas of Timmins’ five wards, as described in the City of Timmins Official Plan.