What’s Good in the Ottawa Valley- Renfrew County to Help Rural Areas with HYPE

Since her appointment as Township Mayor, McNab-Braeside’s Lori Hoddinott is also her municipality’s representative at the County of Renfrew Council table.

Tuesday (April 1st), she was the bearer of good news from the Upper Tier.

The traditional “Community Improvement Plan” which has helped the more urban of municipalities in the fold extend money in the form of grants to businesses wanting to spruce-up their storefront facades do so, is being expanded to a rural context.

Eligible now will be new businesses in the Township Industrial Park, and myriad other opportunities.

The Mayor says it’s a matter of getting a rubber-stamp from Queen’s Park, and the Township could have its own CHIP program in place for the 2026 budget year.

Initiatives under CHIP are split 50-50 between the applicant and the Township.

But wait- there’s more.

In effect

The County’s maximum budget for HYPE is 100k- so the sooner McNab-Braeside moves to establish its own CHIP program, the sooner it’s eligible for the HYPE reimbursement.

The Mayor says the key focus areas are agriculture, agri-tourism. on-farm diversification, environmental improvements, brownfield redevelopment, energy efficiency and environmental enhancement, and eco-friendly initiatives, accessibility improvements, and regional trail expansion among others.

Food for thought- and incentive for growth.

By Rick Stow