Programs & Incentives

Community Improvement Plans (CIPs)

The City of Niagara Falls has prepared Community Improvement Plans to encourage the rejuvenation of strategic investment areas and older business areas that have experienced economic decline over the years. The Community Improvement Plans contain grant and loan programs that provide incentive for business to build and renovate industrial buildings in Niagara Falls and to improve the appearance and the structure of commercial buildings and conversion of upper floor space for residential use. The City has also prepared a Brownfield Community Improvement Plan which encourages the environmental clean-up and redevelopment of older abandoned industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated or perceived to be contaminated.

Niagara Gateway Community Improvement Plan 

The purpose of the Gateway CIP is to stimulate new, sustainable investment by existing businesses and new businesses on employment lands in the Gateway Economic Zone.

Click here for a synopsis on how the program works - and the benefits it can have for your business.

The program has two components:

1. A 5-10 year a tax increment based grant (TIG) following completion of an eligible project involving development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or adaptive reuse of buildings and properties on employment lands where that project creates an increase in assessment.
2. Municipal Employment Incentive Program (MEIP) - further incentives at the Municipal level for development that qualifies under the Tax Increment Based Grant Program including planning application Fee waivers, building permit fee rebates and study grants.

Application Guides and Forms:

Niagara Gateway Community Improvement Plan Application

Municipal Employment Incentive Application

Additional Community Improvement Plans

In addition to the Niagara Gateway CIP, the City of Niagara Falls has four additional approved CIPs, including:

• Downtown Community Improvement Plan
• Historic Drummondville Community Improvement Plan
• Lundy's Lane Community Improvement Plan
• City Wide Brownfields Community Improvement Plan

The City has recently approved an extension to the Downtown, Historic Drummondville and City-wide Community Improvement Plans to October 1st, 2025

More information on CIPs is available here

Development Charge Exemptions

The City provides for a full exemption of Development Charges pertaining to Industrial developments in accordance with City Policy #700.40, a copy of which can be found here: Industrial Development Charge Grant Program Policy

Niagara Region Industrial Development Charges Grant

This program provides financial reductions for industrial users investing in Niagara that have obtained (or plan to obtain) a building permit to build or expand existing facilities.

You can apply for funding before receiving a building permit or within 90 days of receiving a building permit, and receive a grant for up to 100 per cent of the Regional development charges payable. More information, including the application form can be found here