The City of Quesnel is now accepting applications for Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT)’s 2020 Façade Improvement Program from businesses that would like to improve their look.
At the March 31 electronic council meeting, Quesnel councillors heard that the 2019 program was a big success.
For 2019, the City of Quesnel provided funding to five business under the NDIT Façade Improvement Program.
The purpose of the Façade Improvement Program is to support economic development through private-sector investment in local business façade improvements, according to City Manager Byron Johnson’s report to council.
The eligibility and selection of businesses and non-profit organizations for these grants was based on program guidelines developed and approved by Quesnel council and NDIT.
The program is available in all the City’s commercial areas, and in 2019, all five projects were completed in the downtown core.
All $20,000 of the entire $20,000 grant was used in 2019 and distributed between the five applicants that completed their projects on time.
Successful grant applications for the 2019 year were:
• Chow Holdings: Quesnel Bakery, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Subway (468 Reid St.) — replacement of façade, signage and awnings; installation of summer-time outdoor café; emphasis on timber framing. Through the program, $5,000 was reimbursed.
• Booster Juice (454 Reid St.) – replacement of signage; repainting of signage background and repainting of canopy underside. Through the program, $3,544.09 was reimbursed.
• Eagle Home Building Centre (172 Reid St.) – I\installation of a new timber frame entryway arch. Through the program, $3,283.50 was reimbursed.
• Rocky Peak Outfitters (337 Reid St.) – replacement of awnings, installation of new window trims, signage and wooden entryway façade. Through the program, $4,448.32 was reimbursed.
• Holley Clinic (348 Front St.) – repainting of entire façade and installation of new window trims. Through the program, $3,724.09 was reimbursed.
The City has received approval from NDIT for another $20,000 Façade Improvement Grant Program for 2020 and is currently accepting applications for this year’s program.
Since the City has been participating in the Façade Improvement Grant Program, 28 businesses have had their projects completed in the past seven years and received a total of $117,697.62 in grant funding.
READ MORE: Quesnel businesses celebrating new look
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