ERASE Education Tax Assistance (ETA) Program

The ERASE Tax Assistance (ETA) Program (the Program) is intended to reduce the tax increase resulting from the remediation and redevelopment of a brownfield site to mitigate costs required to remediate historical environmental contamination on brownfield sites to support their redevelopment/reuse.

Under the ETA, 80 per cent of the increase in the municipal portion of property taxes (the tax increment) that results from remediation and redevelopment of a site, or such lesser amount as noted below, will be cancelled annually until the expiration of the earlier of the following:

• Six (6) years for business development (commercial and industrial) or 10 years for residential development (including mixed-use residential); or
• A value that equals accepted eligible Program costs contained in Section C herein.

An approval granted under this Program shall be conditional on the Applicant receiving approval from the Minister of Finance for an application under the Province of Ontario’s Brownfield Financial Tax Incentive Program (BFTIP) respecting the cancellation of the education portion of property taxes. Approval for the cancellation of the education portion of the property tax increment may be provided by the Minister of Finance on a case-by-case basis.

Where an application and approval under the Province’s BFTIP will not be sought, the applicant shall be directed to apply under the ERASE Redevelopment Grant (ERG) Program.