COMMUNITY
Activator Program
As communities continue to adapt to COVID-19, this program provides support for projects that seek to revitalize neighborhoods and reimagine public spaces including main streets, downtown strips and plazas as vibrant and inclusive places that work for everyone.
My Main Street supports placemaking, an approach that asks people to collectively reimagine and reshape public space to maximize its shared value. Placemaking can take the form of events that draw people into a community, murals that brighten neglected streetscapes and celebrate local artists, seating and temporary patios that allow people to gather safely outdoors, new uses for neglected or empty spaces, and more.
Funding will be prioritized for projects that support sustainable placemaking strategies for their geographic area and that are designed to support economic and social benefits for equity seeking groups, including Francophone, women, Indigenous, racialized groups, Black communities, newcomers, youth (39 and under), people living with disabilities, the unhoused, low-income people, Trans or non-binary people, and or LGBQ+.
Funding between $25,000 and $250,000 will be available, and provided as reimbursements against completed work.
Events and Activations
Community events of a short, limited or repeating duration intended to draw visitors or create a new local offering, helping position a specific geographic area as a hub of community and economic activity.
Community improvements
Above grade improvements to a specific geographic area that will enhance its physical and visual appeal, draw people in and increase feelings of safety, connection and community enjoyment.
Policy and capacity building
The development of strategies and capacities that will facilitate a focused, deliberate path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown or commercial district’s economy through intentional and creative placemaking.
Eligibility
Our program will provide support for 140 projects, with 25 per cent supporting communities with populations of 100,000 or less. Support will be provided in the form of reimbursements against incurred costs.
Year One (2021): Applications open October 1, 2011 to November 1, 2021
Year Two: (2022): Applications open December 1, 2021 to February 1, 2022.
Funding for placemaking projects that are planned, completed or underway in 2022, with reimbursements offered for work completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.
You’re eligible for placemaking funding if:
- Your project will take place in southern Ontario, excluding Toronto (find out more about Toronto’s main street recovery programs)
- Your project is focused on placemaking in a defined geographic area, not a whole municipality.
- The project is being led by a municipality, BIA, indigenous government or corporation, registered not-for-profit.
- Your project has all the necessary local approvals.
- You’re willing to tell the story of your event, and participate in announcements and events.
Applicants will also be asked: - To describe the project’s intended impact.
- To identify how their project will support the inclusion, safety and prosperity of equity seeking groups.
- To identify how they will measure the impact of their work and how it will contribute to sustainable economic and social vibrancy.
- To describe which groups or organizations are working collaboratively to deliver the project.
How to Apply
A list of example projects is posted at mymainstreet.ca/activator-program/success-stories, and you can find information about projects by following along on My Main Street's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin accounts.
Questions about the program can be sent to placemaking@mymainstreet.ca.
For reference, you can download and view the applicant guide and relevant documents below.
PARTNERS
My Main Street is a partnership between the Economic Developers Council of Ontario and the Canadian Urban Institute.
