Product and Experience Development Grant

Tourism is what drives visitors to explore Bruce County. By upgrading or creating new experiences and products for visitors, their length of stay and monies spent can increase, assisting the overall economy. The Product and Experience Development / Enhancement Grant provides funding for tourism businesses and property owners of tourism establishments to improve the visitor experience by making upgrades and enhancements to their products, services and physical location.
Limited Funds Available
Graphic of a man holding an ice cream cone outside of an ice cream booth beside a child swinging on a swing set

Spruce the Bruce Product and Experience Development Grants have now been fully allocated. However, funding remains available for the following municipalities: 

  • Northern Bruce Peninsula
  • Huron-Kinloss*

Spruce the Bruce Product and Experience Development Grants are available to businesses and property owners located within these municipalities. Applications from outside these areas will be added to the waitlist.

*To apply for a grant in Huron-Kinloss, please click here.

Do you have what you need to submit a complete application?

*Note: all necessary quotes, project plans, and designs must be provided before an application can be approved.

  • Confirm your tourism business / property is within an eligible CIPA (see below)
  • Confirm your planned project meets the eligible project components (see below)
  • Obtain all necessary municipal and / or County permits
  • Obtain quotes from contractors for materials and / or labour
  • Obtain designs / renderings / inspirations of the project for a visual scope
  • Ensure project work can be completed by October 31 of the calendar year

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the grant:

  • The applicant must be the tenant or the property owner of a business whose products or services are demand generators directly related to tourism (accommodations, recreation and entertainment, food and beverage, travel services and transportation). A letter of support from the property owner is required if the applicant is the tenant.
  • The building must be commercial or mixed-use and be located within an eligible municipal-wide Community Improvement Project Areas (CIPA) in Bruce County (but not within a downtown CIPA).
  • The project must comply with municipal bylaws and have received appropriate permits and permissions.
  • Project work must not have started (including purchasing any materials) until the application has been approved.
  • Properties previously awarded grants are ineligible for funding under the same grant category unless the grant was provided more than five years ago, either the tenant or property owner changed or the application is for different physical elements of the building/property.

Max Funding: 

  • 50% of total project cost (excluding taxes) up to $5,000.

Eligible Projects 

Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to:

  • Infrastructure related to physical improvements or additions to a building or structure (e.g., exterior façade, patios, cabins, docks, playgrounds, etc.).
  • Infrastructure related to the development of new tourism products or services.
  • Other projects that develop or enhance existing or new product or experiences.

Ineligible Projects 

Ineligible projects include, but are not limited to:

  • Temporary, 'removable', or consumable project materials or elements.
  • New building construction.
  • General maintenance repairs.
  • Projects within a priority downtown Community Improvement Project area (CIPA).

Eligible Municipalities

Below are the municipalities eligible for this grant, permitting the commercial or mixed-use tourism operation is within the municipal-wide Community Improvement Project Areas (CIPA) (but not within a downtown CIPA).

  • Arran-Elderslie
  • Brockton
  • Huron-Kinloss
  • Kincardine
  • Northern Bruce Peninsula
  • Saugeen Shores
  • South Bruce
  • South Bruce Peninsula

Application Intake Process

  •  

    Applications Open: Client Applies

    Applications open early February each year. The client applies for the applicable grant categories. Applications remain open until funding is exhausted.

  •  

    Applications Reviewed for Eligibility and Completion

    Only eligible projects and complete* applications proceed through the review process. Funding is not held, approved, or guaranteed. 
    *application includes all quotes (for all project materials, labour, and work), project plans, and designs.

  •  

    Applications Approved through Letter of Offer

    Funding is approved on a first-come-first-served basis for completed applications. If approved, a letter of offer (outlining grant funding and project elements approved, conditions, etc.) is sent to the client for signing.

  •  

    Client Begins Project

    Client signs the Letter of Offer and begins the project work (grant funding is not retroactive and does not cover costs associated with work completed before approval).

  •  

    Client Completes Project by October 31

    Client submits an online project completion form. Project elements and spend must comply with the details in the Letter of Offer. Only complete* forms will be reviewed and processed for payment. 
    *form includes all relevant invoices and/or receipts (for project materials, labour, and work) and after photo(s).

  •  

    Client Receives Grant Funding

    After confirmation of spend and project work, the client is sent applicable grant funding via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or cheque.

  •  

    Grant Program Closes

    All projects are to be completed by the deadline of October 31, unless otherwise noted in the letter of offer.

Contact us

Spruce the Bruce

info@sprucethebruce.com

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