Meaford is providing over $90,000 in grants and loans to support new businesses coming to the municipality.
Council approved providing a $50,000 grant to support a new restaurant coming to the old fire hall, as well as a $20,800 grant and $20,570 loan for a new spa and salon business during a meeting on Jan. 29.
Plans to convert the old fire hall at 26 Nelson Street into a restaurant are underway, costing about $3.5 million to restore the property, including maintaining heritage features, adding an elevator, adding a new HVAC system, and a commercial-grade kitchen.
The $50,000 grant council approved will go towards permit and planning application fees.
A report from Director of Development Services Robert Voigt says, “the project is an investment in downtown revitalization and economic development, through the revitalization of a designated heritage building in the heritage district.”
Work has begun at the property and is estimated to be completed July 1.
The $41,370 council also approved in grants and loans for the new spa and salon at 40 Sykes Street in Meaford is part of a project the applicant is working on to retrofit the inside of the building for their business.
The building the applicant will revitalize is in the heritage district and will include painting the interior, electrical work and creating private workstations.
A report from Voigt says, “the proposal includes interior restorations to a downtown heritage storefront building. The result of this work will be noticeable for patrons who visit the establishment and as a result, will incentivise commercial activity in a heritage building, and allowing this building to be viable in the future.”
The applicant aims to have the business up and running early this year.
*Editor’s note: This story was updated from an earlier version to clarify the municipality is providing grants, not applying for them.
