Rural Prosperity Community Improvement Plan

In consultation with the County of Brant Agricultural Advisory Committee, the County of Brant has prepared a draft Rural Prosperity Community Improvement Plan, or RPCIP.

At its core, the RPCIP is a grant program that supports farms, rural businesses, tourism operators, and commercial properties in the County’s rural communities. It aims to reduce the cost of improving buildings, upgrading signage, reusing older structures, and completing required planning or building approvals.

The goal is to strengthen Brant’s rural economy, support farm viability, and keep rural communities active and welcoming.

How the draft plan works

The draft RPCIP would:

1. Identify eligible properties
   • Farms with on-farm diversified uses.
   • Farms that are adding Additional Residential Units.
   • Commercial and mixed-use buildings in rural communities.
   • Rural tourism businesses outside the three urban areas.
2. Offer several grant programs, for example:
   • Façade improvement grants for exterior upgrades.
   • Signage improvement grants.
   • Property and parking improvement grants for landscaping, parking, and active transportation.
   • Application fee grants for certain planning and building approvals.
   • Adaptive commercial reuse grants for converting buildings to eligible commercial uses.
   • Housing and residential unit improvement grants for ARUs and mixed-use buildings.
3. Set clear eligibility rules and an application process, including pre consultation, Council approval or delegated staff approval, and inspection before payment.

Benefits for rural participants

• Reduced project costs for eligible improvements.
• Support to modernize and reuse existing buildings instead of new greenfield development.
• Help to add housing for farm families and workers.
• Better signage, façades, and visitor facilities for tourism and local food operations.
• Stronger, more resilient rural communities.

Read the complete draft Rural Prosperity Community Improvement Plan.

How to get involved

We want to hear what works, what needs improvement, and what concerns you may have about the draft plan. Your feedback will help us ensure the draft plan is on the right track and shape any changes that may be needed before it goes to Council.

Take the survey

Engagement closes Friday, February 13, 2026.

Open House events

Join us at an in-person Open House to learn more about the project, speak with County staff, and share your input.

You’ll have an opportunity to:

• View the draft RPCIP in detail
• Ask questions about plan
• Speak directly with staff about any concerns or feedback you have

This will be a drop-in open house. Though no formal presentation will be provided, the draft plan will be laid out and available to view with informational handouts prepared for attendees.

Questions or comments

• Do the proposed grants and eligible projects make sense for your farm, business, or organization?
• Are there barriers we have missed?
• Are there other project types that should be eligible?
• Do you have concerns about how this plan could affect rural communities?

Let us know. Share your questions or comments directly with the project team online.

Why this matters for rural communities

• Farming and agriculture are a major part of Brant’s economy.
• Many rural buildings and sites are older and can be costly to upgrade.
• More farms need flexible housing and diversified income to stay viable.
• Tourism, local food, and rural experiences are growing markets.

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FAQs

We have included a list of frequently asked questions to help answer some questions you may have.