Whereas the COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly impacted the business community in the Town of Kingsville;
And Whereas the Province of Ontario has provided financial assistance including a multi-level Rent Assistance program to the business community impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic;
And Whereas the Rent Assistance program offered by the Province of Ontario established an arbitrary cap on multi-use properties where it is common for “residential-above-commercial” developments, especially in downtown and Main Street corridors;
And Whereas Kingsville, particularly in our downtown business centres, has several properties with residential-above-commercial where the ratio of commercial storefront businesses represents less than 30 per cent of the entire building, thus leaving a gap where local business owners cannot qualify for rent relief with their willing landlords;
And Whereas the Town of Kingsville’s newly adopted Business Retention and Expansion Project Report identified that Kingsville businesses would benefit from the Province expanding the Rent Assistance program to include all commercial lease properties regardless of overall footprint.
Now Therefore Be It Resolved that the Town of Kingsville requests that the Province of Ontario expand their Rent Assistance program to include all businesses in a lease agreement within all “residential-above-commercial” properties without a cap on commercial/residential ratio;
And Finally, that this Resolution be circulated to the Premier, Doug Ford, the Minister of Finance, Rod Phillips, our local MPP Taras Natyshak, and all Ontario municipalities requesting their support.