New assistance for businesses along thoroughfares affected by worksites

Montréal's business owners affected by work sites will benefit from two financial support programs

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 14, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The executive committee member in charge of economic and commercial development and government relations, Robert Beaudry, announced two much anticipated programs that will bring a shift in the support offered by the city to its businesses that are affected by worksites. 

"Montréal is the very fist city in Canada to implement a financial support program for the owners of businesses affected by construction work. Our political party has been a long-standing militant for enhanced support to business owners during major infrastructure work. Now that we have a decision-making role, we are putting our words into action!" said Robert Beaudry.

"The Artère en transformation program includes new elements that are more suited to meet the needs and challenges of business owners in order to mitigate the impacts of major worksites on their operations, as well as to accelerate the relaunching of commercial thoroughfares once work is completed," adds Robert Beaudry.

The two programs, totaling $41 M, form a key combination to met business owners' actual needs. They were developed with the invaluable collaboration of the Comité commerce, lead by the Guy Cormier, the chief executive officer of Desjardins, as well as by the Associations des sociétés de développement commercial de Montréal.

At a glance

The new program Aide financière aux commerces affectés par des travaux majeurs

• A financial support program totaling $25 M by 2021 and based on the real losses of businesses, when comparing the gross benefit recorded during a financial year that coincides with construction work, to the gross benefits recorded in previous financial years;
• The financial support program covers gross losses exceeding 15%;
• Businesses will be eligible for financial support of at most $30,000 per year;
• Applications must be filed based on real data that is readily available to business owners;
• The program applies to business owners located in areas where the city carried out construction work on water conduits or waterworks, retroactively to January 1, 2016, for a projected or real duration of at least 6 months.
• The program applies to businesses located in areas where any other major public infrastructure construction project is being carried out either by the city or by the STM, for a projected or real duration of at least 36 months ;
• To be eligible, the business must have been in operation prior to the beginning of work.

Please note that the program applies retroactively to January 1, 2016.

The Artère en transformation program

The previous PRAM-Artère en chantier program has been enhanced in order to be more suited to address the issues raised by businesses.

• Strategic framework and financial support provided to associations and to SDC to hire resources to carry out engaging projects: a more flexible component to better adapt our support in regard of the variable durations of construction work from one site to another. For instance, for work lasting for an average of 18 months, the city could grant financial support of nearly $330,000;
• A $60,000 budget envelope per identified commercial sector to carry out strategic surveys in order to relaunch economic activity on the thoroughfare once the work is completed: diagnostics or strategic plan.
• A $100,000 envelope per sector for post-construction support. The exact format (entrepreneurship competition and/or engaging projects) remains to be determined with business owners' associations and the SDC depending, among other things, on the vacancy rate along the thoroughfare concerned;
• Direct subsidies for the renovation of buildings, in the amount of $250,000 per building, regardless of its size. By eliminating the ceiling amount prescribed according to building size, the program can henceforth be more in line with real investments realized in a commercial building. The city will thus be investing $16.8 M over 10 years. Payments will begin in 2019 and will continue until 2028.

For the complete strategy and action plans, go to : ville.montreal.qc.ca/affaires

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Cabinet de la mairesse et du comité exécutif

For further information: Source: Laurence Houde-Roy, Attachée de presse du comité exécutif, Cabinet de la mairesse et du comité exécutif, 438 925-0884; Renseignements: Camille Bégin, Relationniste, Division des relations médias, 514 872-2921