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Cleaning up contaminated land incentives

Niagara Region offers financial incentives to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties, known as brownfields.

Requirements for all programs

  • The property must meet the definition of a brownfield — previously developed land within Niagara's urban area that requires environmental remediation
  • The owner must not have been responsible for the contamination, either as the operator during the land use that created it, or as a party found liable for the contamination
  • The owner must not be in arrears of any property taxes, local improvement charges, or other amounts owed to the local municipality, Niagara Region or the Province

Land located within the urban areas as defined from time to time in the Regional Official Plan, upon which there has been previous industrial, institutional, commercial, or open lands use, or other use as prescribed under the Environmental Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.E.19 and Ontario Regulation 153/04, and for which site remediation is required in accordance with a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment.

Brownfield Tax Increment Grant

Grant

A Regional grant that matches the local municipality's tax increment grant up to 80 per cent. The grant offsets remediation costs using the increase in property taxes that results from the redevelopment.

  • Maximum duration - up to 10 years
  • Minimum remediation cost - $250,000
  • Maximum amount - up to eligible remediation costs

The grant is available in two tiers based on estimated remediation costs. The terms are the same for both — the tiers simply reflect project scale.

  • Tier 1: $5 million or more in estimated remediation costs
  • Tier 2: $250,000 - $4,999,999 in estimated remediation costs

  • The local municipality must have approved a Brownfield Tax Increment Grant under its Community Improvement Plan, and a grant agreement must be executed between the municipality and the property owner
  • Remediation must not have begun before the grant agreement is executed

The local municipality — not the property owner — submits the application to Niagara Region for matching funding. This must happen within three months of the municipality executing its grant agreement with the property owner, and must include all required documentation.

To apply, email Regional Brownfield Incentive Programs.

Brownfield Regional Development Charges Deferral

Deferral

Eligible brownfield projects can defer payment of Regional development charges. This is not a grant — the charges are still owed.

  • Deferral period - until occupancy permit is issued or up to 5 years, whichever comes first
  • Minimum remediation cost - $250,000
  • Apply by - within 12 months of starting remediation, and at least 3 months before building permit

  • A separate application is required for each phase of a phased project
  • Partial changes in ownership during the deferral period may result in a portion of Regional development charges becoming immediately payable

The property owner must submit a complete application and all supporting documentation:

  • Within 12 months of starting environmental remediation
  • At least three months before a building permit is issued

A separate application is needed for each phase of a phased project.

To apply, email Regional Brownfield Incentive Programs.

Large-Scale Brownfield Development Charges Grant

Grant

A grant equal to the full amount of Regional development charges owing, for large brownfield projects meeting specific size and location requirements. The grant is calculated and deducted from Regional development charges at the time of building permit issuance.

  • Grant amount - 100 per cent of Regional development charges owing
  • Minimum site size - 10+ hectares
  • Apply by - within 12 months of starting remediation, and at least 3 months before building permit

This grant can be combined with the Brownfield Tax Increment Grant. If combined, the amount of this grant and any other incentives received will be deducted from eligible costs before calculating the Tax Increment Grant.

  • The property must be greater than 10 hectares — either a single parcel, or multiple parcels under the same ownership that are clustered together and form part of the same development approval, with at least one parcel exceeding 10 hectares. Property size is measured using parcel fabric tools such as Teranet.
  • The property must be located entirely within an area subject to a municipally initiated Secondary Plan process as of Aug. 25, 2022, or within an approved Secondary Plan area

The property owner must submit a complete application and all supporting documents:

  • Within 12 months of starting environmental remediation
  • At least three months before a building permit is issued

By the time of building permit issuance, the applicant must also provide:

  • A copy of the Record of Site Conditions
  • A copy of remediation costs signed by a qualified person (may be subject to peer review)

A separate application is needed for each phase of an approved project.

To apply, email Regional Brownfield Incentive Programs.