Greyfields revitalization strategy
What is a greyfield?
Greyfields can generally be described as previously developed commercial sites that are vacant or underutilized, and/or in a state of neglect or disrepair. Greyfields are viewed as lands where there are opportunities for revitalization because they have access to existing public services, infrastructure, and utilities and, unlike brownfields, are not perceived to be subject to environmental contamination.
The Greyfields Community Improvement Plan aims to support the revitalization of greyfield sites across the Built-Up Area, as shown below, by helping property owners make improvements to their properties or redevelop their properties into mixed use developments (with both commercial uses and residential uses). It is envisioned that these revitalization projects will provide for a variety of types and tenures of residential units, including affordable housing, support existing and new commercial uses, and facilitate the transformation of clusters of greyfield sites into attractive and thriving commercial areas.
Amendments for Adaptive Reuse of Historic Properties
On November 26, 2024 Council passed a resolution directing Staff to amend the Greyfields Community Improvement Plan and Downtown Community Improvement Plan to introduce additional incentives to encourage the adaptive reuse of historic properties and buildings. You can refer to Report 2024-444 for background information. A tracked changes version of the Downtown CIP has been prepared and you can access it below:
For amendments to the Downtown CIP, refer to the Downtown CIP webpage.
The amendments to the Greyfields and Downtown CIPs will be considered by Council at a statutory public meeting held on Tuesday, March 18th at 6:00pm. The meeting will take place at Committee of the Whole – Planning and Administration in Council Chambers, Brantford City Hall. You can find a copy of the public notice in the Civic News (February 20, 2025 Edition) as well as the Civic News section of the City’s website.
The Greyfields CIP includes three financial incentive programs intended to facilitate private sector investment in greyfield sites, supporting their improvement or redevelopment, as follows:
- The Property Tax Increment-Based Grant is intended to promote the transformative redevelopment of greyfields into new mixed use developments that will increase a property’s assessed value. Depending on the provision of affordable housing units in a redevelopment project, the grant may be enhanced to provide a greater financial incentive;
- The Commercial Façade, Landscaping and Connectivity Improvement Grant is aimed at facilitating improvements to the appearance and accessibility of existing commercial and mixed use properties in Target Greyfield Revitalization Areas; and
- The Mixed Use Building Improvement Grant supports the conversion of existing buildings into mixed use buildings in Target Greyfield Revitalization Areas.
For more information or to apply to a program, please contact:
Planning Department
City of Brantford
58 Dalhousie Street, Brantford, Ontario N3T 2J2
T. 519-759-4150
E-mail: developmentincentives@brantford.ca
Contact Us
City of Brantford
58 Dalhousie Street
P.O. Box 818
Brantford, Ontario
N3T 2J2
Phone: 519-759-4150