Community Improvement

Community improvement or development encourages involvement from residents, business owners, and other key stakeholders to assist the Planning Department with the improvement of the quality of existing developments, and the attraction of both new development and opportunities for the building of strong communities for residents of the City of Windsor.

The City of Windsor's Planning Department holds public meetings and workshops to discuss neighbourhood strengths and challenges within designated areas. A "Community Improvement Plan" (CIP) can include recommendations based on the goals and objectives formed during the public consultation process.

For more information on the various Community Improvement Plans within the city, please visit the following pages:

Economic Revitalization Community Improvement Plan

Olde Sandwich Town Community Improvement Plan

Brownfield Redevelopment Community Improvement Plan

Downtown Windsor Enhancement Strategy & Community Improvement Plan

Main Streets CIP

Ford City CIP

What is a Community Improvement Plan?

Ontario's Planning Act allows municipalities to prepare a Community Improvement Plan to set out, in an "official" way, what a municipality intends to do to address an unsatisfactory state of affairs in a certain defined area. Since any community has its own unique opportunities and challenges, there is no predetermined definition of what a community improvement plan must include. For example, some plans include changes to land-use and zoning regulations to encourage desired activities or limit undesirable ones. Others state what grants or loans a municipality is prepared to offer owners as an incentive to build or repair properties to meet aims stated in the plan.

What is a Community Improvement Project Area?

All Community Improvement Plans start by setting the boundary of the community that is being studied for improvement. This is called the "Project Area". It keeps the study focused within a certain territory and can be one way of specifying where any financial incentives that appear in a Community Improvement Plan may be spent. The boundary of the plan area sometimes changes from the project area that was first set out.

Who is Involved in a Community Improvement Plan?

City Council initiates a Community Improvement Plan and adopts it when it is finished. In most cases the Ontario government must approve a plan after City Council adopts it. The actual study work and writing of the plan can be done by City staff or others hired to do the job.

The Planning Act requires that at least one public meeting be held before a Community Improvement Plan is adopted by City Council. In essence, this is a way of making sure the community has input into the Community Improvement Plan. Often, much more than one community meeting takes place.

How Long Does it Take to Complete a Community Improvement Plan?

Community Improvement Plans can take a few months or a few years to complete, depending on factors such as how large the project area is, how complex the issues are in that area, and what kind of resources are available to do the work. Ontario's Planning Act sets no legal time limit for completing a Community Improvement Plan.