CaféTO Property Improvement Program
The CaféTO Grant is available to commercial and industrial property owners and tenants in Toronto to improve the appearance and/or function of their curb lane cafés, commercial patios and sidewalk cafés.
Offered by Economic Development & Culture Division (City of Toronto)
Amount
Up to $5,000
One-half of the costs of eligible property or site improvements up to a maximum of $5,000 (based on a minimum of $10,000 of improvements), plus up to $2,500 for exterior accessibility improvements and up to $1,000 per application for AODA specialist / BCIN designer fees
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Who can apply
The grant is available to owners and tenants of street-level commercial and industrial properties in Toronto to improve the appearance and/or function of exterior spaces associated with the property.
Only one property application from a business chain or a franchise chain will be considered under this program.
Not eligible:
Places of worship, institutional buildings, and residential buildings are ineligible for the program
Ineligible Projects
Maintenance costs of existing property elements, such as lighting and broken windows
Repairs to signs, remove or cleaning of bird droppings from signs, replacement of dead trees and other landscaping vegetation or replace chipped driveway pavers, etc
Applications for work totaling less than $2,000
Projects at places of worship, institutional buildings, not-for-profit commercial buildings and residential buildings
Past recipients of the CaféTO Property Improvement Program that were awarded the maximum grant allowance
About the funding
The grants covers one-half of the costs of eligible property or site improvements up to a maximum amount of $5,000 (based on a minimum of $10,000 of improvements). Funding can include patio improvements on private property and spaces on public property for which a valid permit has been issued.
Additional grant funding of up to $2,500 is available for exterior accessibility improvements such as the installation of temporary platforms level to the sidewalk for a curb lane café (rented, leased, or purchased), accessible ramps for patios on private property, handrails and other exterior accessibility devices which meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) design standards.
Architectural, engineering from a certified Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) specialist and Building Code Identification Number (BCIN) registered designer fees may be covered to a maximum of $1,000 per application.
The CaféTO Grant is available to owners and tenants of commercial and industrial properties within the City of Toronto for property improvements such as:
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- Permanent improvements to patio or café spaces on private property that serve a business use excluding furnishings
- Café spaces on City property for which a valid permit has been issued
- Permanent on-site boulevard landscaping features (excluding plant material)
- Fencing
- Installation of temporary platform level to the sidewalk for a curb lane café (rented, leased, or purchased), accessible ramps for patios on private property, handrails and other exterior accessibility improvements which meet AODA design standards
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