Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) are sustainable planning tools used by municipalities to revitalize specific areas through targeted programs, grants, and incentives. The City of Greater Sudbury is currently reviewing several CIPs to ensure they continue to meet community and economic priorities.

This page focuses on the Employment Land Community Improvement Plan (ELCIP), which is designed to attract job-creating development on employment lands across the city. This review is separate from the ongoing updates to the Brownfield Strategy CIP, Affordable Housing CIP, and the Strategic Core Areas CIP. Each plan has its own focus and objectives; while the others support redevelopment, housing, and downtown revitalization, the ELCIP aims to strengthen Sudbury’s economy by incentivizing industrial and commercial growth in key employment zones.

The City is considering refinements to the Greater Sudbury Employment Land Community Improvement Plan (ELCIP) that would enhance the existing Tax Increase Equivalent Grant (TIEG) structure. The proposed Employment Land CIP presents amendments related to the assessment of eligible projects.

To optimize the program, the following refinements are recommended:

• Refining Eligible Uses: Replace "Industrial Use" with "Eligible Use" and introduce clear definitions to attract investment across high-impact sectors aligned with provincial and federal priorities, such as such as life sciences, clean technology, agrifood production and technology, audio-visual and advanced manufacturing.
• Enhancing the Scoring Matrix: Adjust criteria to align grant terms with investment size, scope and job creation thresholds.
• Incentivizing Strategic Priorities: Introduce additional scoring measures to recognize projects aligned with strategic intensification areas, economic diversification, innovation, and sustainable design.
• Implementing a Sliding Scale for Tax Reinstatement: Introduce a structured approach for reintroducing municipal taxes over longer term grant periods, ensuring incremental financial benefits for the City.

These refinements will enhance the ELCIPs ability to attract high-quality investments, support job creation and strengthen Greater Sudbury's position in the global economy.

History

In August 2022, Council approved an Employment Land Strategy (ELS) to foster economic growth and support a diversified economy now and into the future. The strategy will ensure that the City is well positioned to respond to Employment Land needs by considering future trends, projected demand, land supply, municipal services, incentives and other tools to support future growth and economic changes.

To support projected economic growth and development, the ELS called for an incentive program. In 2023, Greater Sudbury adopted the Employment Land Community Improvement Plan (ELCIP) which provides a Tax Increment Equivalent Grant (TIEG) program that supports the expansion of existing industrial businesses and attraction of new businesses that meet certain scoring criteria.

The ELCIP supports economic growth by leveraging a community improvement plan to attract investment and enhance business development. It aligns with:

• Strategic Plan Goal 1.4: Utilizing community improvement plans to incentivize economic growth.
• Strategic Plan Goals 2.1 and 2.3: Supporting business growth, streamlining development processes, and fostering investment readiness.
• Community Energy & Emissions Plan (CEEP) Goal 1: Encouraging sustainable development and compact, complete communities.

Additionally, by prioritizing investment in Clean Tech and Life Sciences sectors, the program contributes to a cleaner, healthier community, reducing pollution and improving air and water quality in alignment with CEEP objectives.

Community Improvement Plans

CIPs are a sustainable community planning tool used by municipalities to revitalize areas of a city or community through programs, grants and incentives.

CIPs also:

• address the reuse and restoration of lands, buildings and infrastructure
• address growth management challenges
• plan for rehabilitation, development and land-use change

The City recognizes the value of community improvement planning initiatives and identifying opportunities for future work. Under the Planning Act, Community Improvement Plans can be undertaken for environmental, social or economic development reasons.

The City has developed a number of financial incentives through its various community improvement plans. These financial incentives are available to any proponent within the community improvement project areas. These CIPs include the following:

• Brownfield Strategy and Community Improvement Plan (adopted in 2011);
• Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan (adopted in 2018); and,
• Strategic Core Areas Community Improvement Plan (adopted in 2022)

These CIPs are also currently under review. More information can be found HERE.

Participate in the Planning Process

The public can participate in public hearings in-person or via electronic participation. There are several ways to provide submissions to the Members of the Planning Committee and Council for the July 14, 2025 meeting, as follows:

• Attend in person: Attend the meeting in person in Council Chamber in Tom Davies Square (200 Brady Street, Sudbury);
• Submit comments in writing: Submit comments in writing to: City of Greater Sudbury, City Clerk, Box 5000, Station A, Sudbury, Ontario, P3A 5P3, prior to this meeting or by email to clerks@greatersudbury.ca. Comments received by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2025 will be provided to Members of the Planning Committee and Council prior to the meeting;
• Register to speak at the Planning Committee Meeting via electronic participation: Visit the City of Greater Sudbury website at www.greatersudbury.ca/publichearings for instructions to register for electronic participation. Interested members must register prior to 4:00 p.m. one business day prior to the date of the hearing (Friday, July 11, 2025).

The Staff Report and recommendations will be available on the City’s website at https://agendasonline.greatersudbury.ca on July 4, 2025.