Centretown Heritage Façade Improvement Program

Insider Tip

Apply early — this is a pilot with limited budget and there is no guarantee of a 2027 renewal. Because heritage review adds timeline, contact the Ottawa Heritage Conservation team before finalizing your scope of work: they can advise on which elements will score well and whether your proposed materials and methods meet conservation standards. Projects that use historically appropriate materials and reverse prior non-heritage alterations tend to score higher.

Rejection Pitfalls 8

• Property not designated under Part IV and not a Contributing/Grade 1-3 property within a Part V HCD
• Non-contributing (Category 4) building within a Heritage Conservation District
• Property located outside the Centretown / Bank Street HCD program boundaries

Success Profile

Owner — or long-term lessee — of a Part IV designated or Contributing/Grade 1-3 heritage property on the Bank Street corridor in Ottawa, with a planned exterior restoration project (masonry repair, heritage window replacement, historically-appropriate signage, accessibility upgrades) costing at least $20,000.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications assessed on: heritage property designation status, compliance with Ottawa Heritage Conservation Standards and Guidelines, scope of work (prioritizing reversible, conservative, and historically-appropriate interventions), and urgency of conservation need. Heritage Conservation staff review proposed work before approval.

Application Steps

Required Documents 7

Eligible Expenses 8

• Masonry cleaning, repointing, and restoration
• Heritage window and door replacement with historically-appropriate materials
• Exterior heritage signage (hand-painted, gold-leaf, or other heritage methods)
• Canopies and awnings using heritage-appropriate materials
• Cornice, parapet, and decorative architectural feature repair
• Exterior painting (historically-appropriate colours and methods)
• Accessibility upgrades to building entrance compatible with heritage standards (ramps, accessible door openers)
• Reversing prior non-heritage alterations (e.g., removing aluminum cladding to reveal original masonry)

Ineligible Expenses 6

• Interior renovations not visible from the street
• New roofing (unless visible heritage feature)
• Modern non-heritage-compliant signage (illuminated box signs, vinyl wraps)
• Routine maintenance (caulking, minor touch-up painting)
• Work already completed before grant approval
• Work on government, public agency or embassy properties

Intake Periods

Open now through December 2026 or until budget is exhausted. No fixed intake windows — rolling applications accepted.

Deadline Notes

Pilot program currently running through December 2026. Budget is limited — apply early. On June 9, 2026 the City's Built Heritage Committee approved expanding the program to more of downtown (proposed boundaries: Bank Street from Wellington to Catherine, Sparks Street, Elgin Street from Lisgar to Argyle, the ByWard Market HCD, Rideau Street from Sussex to King Edward, Dalhousie Street in the Lowertown West HCD, and Somerset Street West from Bank to O'Connor), with City Council considering the recommendations on June 24, 2026 and funding and staff resourcing to be decided in the 2027 budget process. ⚠ The live program page still describes the Bank Street pilot only — confirm your property is inside the CURRENT boundaries with Ottawa Heritage Conservation before planning work.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• Government and public agencies — including the City of Ottawa, the federal government and Crown corporations, the provincial government, and school boards
• Foreign embassies and consulates
• Owners of non-contributing (Category 4) buildings in Heritage Conservation Districts
• Properties without heritage designation status

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

Low clawback risk. Work must be completed as approved; deviations from the approved scope without prior consent could result in grant reduction or repayment. No long-term use covenant on the building.