City council greenlights property sales and grants for local businesses

Elliot Lake city council received three staff reports and recommendations related to commercial property development from Ec Dev manager, Steve Antunes, at Monday evening’s council regular meeting.

Esten Drive North and Highway 108

A by-law for the sale and purchase of property at the northwest corner of Esten Drive North and Highway 108 was approved with a 24-month development completion condition.

Zoning and official plan amendments are required. The agreement allows 120 days to accommodate completion.

When the item opened for debate, Deputy Mayor Charles Flintoff commented to Antunes, “I know you can’t elaborate, but this is another good news story, because it sounds like there’s a possibility of some more new commercial development happening in Elliot Lake.”

Antunes: “Yes, Councillor Flintoff, that’s what our goal is, to increase taxation [revenue] in the municipality by getting land sold and more importantly, creating employment income – employment revenue in the community.”

“And this is another good sign that investors see the value in our beautiful community to spend money, and spend sizable amounts of money to develop a property.”

“So, to me, it’s very much a good news story,” Antunes said.

Antunes said that the proponent will announce plans for the development in due time.

“In respect to the client and the purchaser, again, we’ll leave it to them to establish their marketing plan,” he said.

Fox Drive

An application for a Community Improvement Project on Fox Drive was approved by council.

The staff report informed, “AJ Bus Lines is moving operations to Fox Drive to a property which was purchased from the City in 2022. Under the CIP he is eligible to apply for the Tax Increment Grant.”

The grant is applied “once the project has been completed.”

And he noted, “businesses don’t apply for the Community Improvement Plan taxation grant unless they’re going to build.”

Councillor Flintoff noted that the Fox Drive development has been a long process, and a long endeavour for the staff working to arrange for the site services.

Special projects manager, Bill Goulding, responded, “We’ve been working for quite a while with Hydro One.”

Goulding explained that determining the hydro capacity required, dependent on the new property owner’s needs and easement planning and arrangements, has complicated the Hydro installation.

Goulding said the installation process is coming to a close and that Hydro “want[s] to see this come to a close as much as we do.”

Flintoff: “That’s really good news. Thank you.”

Perini Road

A CIP agreement was approved for KSD Landscaping at a commercial property on Perini Road.

“Another great business in town who is moving to start up their first commercial development,” Antunes said.

“Small business; excited to see them grow and establish themselves in a physical location … to offer more services to the community and employ more staff.

CIP Community Improvement Plan

Antunes brought the new CIP plan forward about one year ago, at the standing committee, townhalls, and to council.

Details of the Community Improvement Plan program can be found here.