Town earmarks $215K for Crystal Beach improvement grants
June 17, 2026 at 3:37 AM
More than $215,000 could soon flow into Crystal Beach property upgrades under a new Town of Fort Erie incentive program that council expects to approve in August.
The Crystal Beach Community Improvement Plan would open municipal grants to property owners and businesses in the community’s core area, funding projects ranging from storefront renovations to accessibility upgrades and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The first application intake is expected in September if council gives final approval.
Ward 5 Councillor Tom Lewis said in a public update that the town is moving ahead with the plan and has more than $215,000 in previously dedicated funding available for eligible projects.
A map released with Lewis’s update shows the proposed project area centred on Crystal Beach’s commercial district. Credit: Tom Lewis | Facebook“I look forward to seeing this important initiative move forward and help continue the positive momentum we are building in Crystal Beach,” said Lewis.
The proposed program would support building and facade improvements, signage, lighting, landscaping, professional studies, sustainability projects and energy-efficiency upgrades.
The funding commitment traces back to a council decision in November 2025, when junior community planner Kimberlyn Smith told council Crystal Beach was “ready for investment” and identified the area as a natural candidate for revitalization incentives.
Council also approved an amendment from Lewis that earmarked at least one-third of available Community Improvement Plan reserve funds for Crystal Beach during the program’s first three years.
Town records showed the reserve fund held roughly $640,000 in early 2025, plus an additional $40,000 contribution that year.
Existing Community Improvement Plan programs in Fort Erie provide financial incentives for facade improvements, signage projects and residential intensification initiatives in designated downtown areas.
The Crystal Beach expansion would add a fifth core area to the program. Existing project areas include Bridgeburg, downtown Ridgeway, downtown Stevensville and Southend-Riverwalk.
Council is expected to consider final approval of the Crystal Beach Community Improvement Plan in August. Applications could open the following month.
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Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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