Belleville council has approved a significant financial break for Habitat for Humanity Prince Edward-Hastings.
Monday council voted unanimously to waive $200,000 of a total of $225,000 in city building permit fees for Habitat’s proposed 5 storey 66-unit affordable condominum building at the old Belleville Police Headquarters site.
Director of Engineering and Development Services Stephen Ashton told council Monday that the financial incentive for a large building was a first of its kind for the city.
“I think this actual project is the first type of project here for Habitat for Humanity. They usually do singles or semis so this is a multi-residential similar to what they do in Cobourg.”
The break on building permit fees will help with the building’s affordability hopefully leading to financing from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
The money for the incentive will come from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, not local taxpayers. Should the project not move ahead it
won’t cost the city anything.
A ceremony marking the demolition of the old police station on Dundas Street East will be held Tuesday (September 9) morning.
