$3.5 million provided to 60 communities through My Main Street Community Activator program
The My Main Street Community Activator program, delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), is pleased to announce $3.5 million in funding toward local placemaking projects in 60 communities across southern Ontario. My Main Street is a two-year, $23.25-million investment by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), delivered by CUI and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO)
“Our government is investing in Canadians to help regional economies grow and build strong, local main streets. The My Main Street Community Activator program provides critical funding to local communities to develop new and exciting economic opportunities, build stronger neighbourhoods, support small businesses, create jobs and improve the quality of life for local residents.”
- The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)
“Main streets are the heart of local communities. The My Main Street Community Activator will not just revive commercial areas to pre-pandemic levels of activity, but will also make them better — more dynamic, resilient and equitable. These projects will make it easier for people to eat, shop and play in their own neighborhoods, restoring the social connectivity and economic viability of Southern Ontario’s main streets.”
- Jared Kolb, Program Director, My Main Street (Canadian Urban Institute)
My Main Street Community Activator supports projects that revitalize local neighbourhoods and drive economic activity by transforming public spaces and supporting vibrant event programming. The projects will attract visitors and increase foot traffic for main street shops, restaurants and local businesses.
My Main Street Community Activator prioritizes projects that serve areas with commercial and community importance, and that reduce the barriers to economic and social opportunities for equity-seeking groups.
All My Main Street Community Activator programs are free, accessible and open to people of all ages.
Here is a list of the exciting projects that are coming to a main street near you!
| Project | Organization | Location |
| Shakespeare in the Parking Lot | The Consciousness Project | Guelph |
| Dusk Dancers Barrie | Simcoe Contemporary Dancers | Barrie |
| Ottawa Chinatown BIA Beautification and Safety Improvement Project | Somerset St Chinatown BIA | Ottawa |
| Lift Art Festival | Downtown Port Colborne BIA (Downtown Development Board) | Port Colborne |
| CoLab Market | Roots Community Services Inc. | Mississauga |
| Old East Village Mural and Beautification Celebration | Old East Village Business Improvement Area | London |
| Music on the Streets | Downtown London BIA | London |
| Library Beyond Walls | County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives | Bloomfield |
| In Diversity There is Harmony Festival | First-St. Andrew's United Church (FSA) | London |
| Pride Crosswalk/Intersection - International Village BIA | International Village BIA | Hamilton |
| Markham Public Library Main Street Trails Project | Markham Public Library | Markham |
| 2022 Community Artists Series | Tourism Kingston | Kingston |
| Creation of the New Voices Community Arts Residency | Arts Council Windsor Region (ACWR) | Windsor |
| The Renfrew County Inquest Engagement and Public Art Response | Women's Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew County (WSAC) | Pembroke |
| Callimachus | Shadowpath Theatre Productions | Newmarket |
| Hamilton Road Has Heart | Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre | London |
| Crossroads Transformation Project | North Algona Wilberforce Township | Wilberforce |
| Miracle on Sandwich Street | Olde Sandwich Towne Business Improvement Area | Windsor |
| HRIC TRC Day Event | Hamilton Regional Indian Centre | Hamilton |
| Peace Mural Greater Napanee | Downtown Greater Napanee BIA | Napanee |
| Outdoor Summer Movie Night Series | Town of The Blue Mountains | Blue Mountain |
| Historic Marble Grave Monument (early 1800s) Repair at Cemetery for the Christ Church, Her Majesty's Chapel Royal of the Mohawks | Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte | Deseronto |
| Activate Downtown Brampton | 8 80 Cities | Brampton |
| "Return to the River People" - A donation of land back to the Mississaugas of the Credit | YMCA of Oakville | Oakville |
| Field Notes and Table Settings 2022 from Alchemy Artists Residency | Alchemy Artists Residency | Wellington |
| PLAY THIS: Hamilton | Tottering Biped Theatre | Hamilton |
| Vanier Community Hub Placemaking | Quartier Vanier BIA (ZAC Vanier BIA) | Ottawa |
| Rainbow Trout | Thornbury BIA | Thornbury |
| Uptown Markets 2022 | Uptown Waterloo BIA | Waterloo |
| Outdoor Foods of the World Market, Hillsburgh, ON | Fanjoy Cooking Up Change | Hillsburgh |
| Akwesasne Community Corridor Improvements | Mohawk Council of Akwesasne | Akwesasne |
| We Were Here: Bringing the Stories of Windsor’s McDougall Street Corridor to Life | University of Windsor | Windsor |
| Saugeen First Nation Independent Businesses Association Business and Marketing Strategy | Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation#29 | Southhampton |
| Cooksville Connectz Eventz | Joshua Creek Church / www.heartcomonos.ca | Mississauga |
| Glass Half Full - Vacant Storefront Animation | Ottawa Street Business Improvement Area | Hamilton |
| Aldershot BIA Community Markets on Plains | Aldershot Village BIA | Burlington |
| Market Garden Park | The Corporation of the Municipality of Brockton | Walkerton |
| Corktown Community Paint-in | Ontario Public Interest Research Group McMaster | Hamilton |
| Quaint Night Market | Town of Arnprior | Arnprior |
| Ancaster BIA Land Acknowledgement | Ancaster Business Improvement Area | Ancaster |
| Safety for our Community | Cupid's Sting Non-Profit | Brampton |
| Steel Box Art Lab | Gallery Stratford | Stratford |
| Femme Folks Take The Streets | Pat the Dog Playwright Centre | Waterloo |
| Urban Roots London's PLANTiful Summer Series | Urban Roots London | London |
| Placemaking Paisley,Ontario | Municipality of Arran-Elderslie | Paisley |
| In Search of Parking Lot Paradise | Peterborough Green-Up Association | Peterborough |
| STEPS 2022 I HeART Main Street Challenge - Downtown Whitby Window Activations | Downtown Whitby BIA | Whitby |
| Community Garden | Beeton BIA | Beeton |
| Roebuck Street Placemaking | Town of Whitby | Whitby |
| Light up the Home of the White Squirrel | Exeter BIA | Exeter |
| The Broom Factory | Kingston Canadian Film Festival | Kingston |
| The Artscape Parkette | The Smiths Falls Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Culture | Smith Falls |
| Corso Italia, Revitalized: Reinvigorating the Community Landscape of Ottawa’s Little Italy | Preston Street Business Improvement Association | Ottawa |
| 100th Anniversary Celebration Community Murals | The Corporation of the Town of Tecumseh | Tecumseh |
| Portable Wheelchair Ramp Project | Corporation of the Town of Ingersoll | Ingersoll |
| Craighurst Public Art Project | Township of Oro-Medonte | Craighurst |
| Light it Up Holiday Market | Markham Village Business Improvement Area | Markham |
| Avondale Park Upgrades | Corporation of the City of Sarnia | Sarnia |
