Offers grants to new permanent or 'pop-up' commercial tenants of currently vacant at-or-below-grade spaces.
Jan 1, 2025
Home News & Resources Commercial Vacancy Assistance Program
This enables them to make permanent interior improvements that enhance the space’s attractiveness and usability for commercial purposes.
Eligibility
The property use must be accessible to the public. It can include retail, artist studios/galleries with a retail component, personal service businesses, microbreweries, commercial entertainment, commercial recreation, and dine-in or take-out restaurants. This program applies to commercial units in properties zoned for commercial use within the Ancaster, Barton Village, Binbrook, Concession Street, Downtown Hamilton, Dundas, Locke Street, Ottawa Street, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, and Westdale Commercial District CIPAs, as well as the Mount Hope/Airport Gateway CIPA and the Strategic Commercial Corridor CIPAs.
Amount
The maximum grant under this program is provided on a 50:50 matching basis for eligible work, up to $5,000 for lease terms between three months and just under six months, or up to $10,000 for lease terms of six months or longer.
How to apply
Please download and complete the application form. Once completed, email it to Carlo Gorni at carlo.gorni@hamilton.ca.