Kitchener Façade Grant Program

Program Description

Provides a 50% matching grant for exterior façade improvements to ground-floor commercial buildings in Kitchener's Downtown Community Improvement Area. Grants cover up to $10,000 per storefront unit, $20,000 for corner-lot buildings where improvements are proposed on both frontages, and $30,000 for multi-storefront buildings — making it accessible for both individual retailers and property owners with multiple commercial tenants.

Eligibility Requirements

• Property owner or commercial tenant/merchant with ground-floor commercial use within Kitchener's Downtown Community Improvement Area
• Building must have ground-floor commercial use — retail, restaurant/dining, or services. Office is expressly NOT a commercial use for this program; an entranceway to an office or residential building qualifies only if the majority of the ground floor is in commercial use (existing, planned or currently vacant).
• Pre-approval required — no work may begin before written approval
• Improvements must be to the exterior façade of the commercial portion (not interior)
• Tax and utility accounts for the property must be current and remain current throughout the term of the grant; the applicant must not be involved in any action or proceeding involving a claim for damage with the City.
• A property or storefront cannot receive more than $10,000 under this program within a five-year period — a storefront funded in the last five years is not eligible again.
• Only street-fronting façades qualify: the face must directly abut a public roadway or publicly accessible space. A façade separated from the street line by a surface parking lot or vacant lot does not qualify; one separated by a City park or urban plaza does.