Notice of Public Open House and Public Meeting

Take notice that, in accordance with Section 28 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended, the Corporation of the City of Kenora will hold a Public Open House and the Council of the Corporation of the City of Kenora will hold a Statutory Public Meeting to consider a proposed new Community Improvement Project Area and Community Improvement Plan (CIP).

Purpose and effect

The purpose and effect of the proposed new CIP is to replace the City’s three existing CIPs for Harbourtown Centre, Keewatin, and the Former Mill Site, which were all last reviewed and updated in 2017, with a single, integrated CIP for the entire City of Kenora. The proposed new CIP will encourage and promote continued new investment opportunities, continued economic growth, and vibrancy in the City of Kenora, with an added focus on fostering housing development opportunities and providing related incentives across the City.

The Community Improvement Plan Review was funded by the Ontario Government through the Rural Economic Development Program and the City of Kenora Municipal Accommodation Tax. 

The subject lands included as part of the proposed new Community Improvement Project Area and CIP include all lands within the municipal boundary of the City of Kenora. As such, no key map is provided.

Public open houses

Date: Thursday, January 22, 2026

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. 
Location: Lake of the Woods Discovery Centre, 931 Lakeview Drive, Kenora, ON

Time: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Training Room, Operations Centre, 2nd floor, 60 Fourteenth Street North, Kenora, ON

Format: Drop in style, including presentation boards which will provide an overview of the proposed Draft CIP (December 2025), including the proposed Community Improvement Project Area, Program Areas, and Financial Incentive Programs. Interactive mapping of the proposed CIP Program Areas will also be available for property and business owners to look up their eligibility for the proposed Financial Incentive Programs available within certain Program Areas. 

Statutory public meeting

Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1 Main Street South, Kenora, ON

Members of the public may attend in person or watch the livestream on our Agenda and Minutes page.

To speak at the meeting, either virtually or in-person, please contact the City Clerk at hpihulak@kenora.ca to register. 

The Staff Report for the proposed new CIP will be presented to the Committee of Whole at its Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Council will consider the decision to adopt the proposed by-laws for the new Community Improvement Project Area and CIP, and repeal the City’s three existing Community Improvement Project Areas and CIPs, at its Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. 

We want to hear from you

If you have comments, email them to us at planning@kenora.ca or send them by regular mail to the address below, and reference the proposed new CIP. To be included in the report to Council for the Statutory Public Meeting, comments must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026.  

Contact

Melissa Shaw, Land Acquisition and Divestment Officer, 1 Main Street South, Kenora, ON P9N 3X2.

Right of appeal

If a person or public body would otherwise have the ability to appeal the decision of the Council of the Corporation of the City of Kenora to the Ontario Land Tribunal but the person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Corporation of the City of Kenora before the by-laws are passed, that person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision. 

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Corporation of the City of Kenora before the by-laws are passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to a hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Land Tribunal unless, in the opinion of the Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party. 

Notice of decision

If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Council of the Corporation of the City of Kenora in respect of the proposed new Community Improvement Project Area and CIP, you must make a written request to:
Heather Pihulak, Clerk of the Corporation of the City of Kenora, 1 Main Street South, Kenora, ON  P9N 3X2.

Additional information

Additional information relating the proposed Draft CIP (December 2025) is available through the Economic Development Department / Planning Department. For further information please contact Melissa Shaw, Land Acquisition and Divestment Officer, at 807-467-2292 or planning@kenora.ca and reference the proposed new CIP. In addition, a Final Community Improvement Plan Background Report (May 2025) is available on our Official Plan, Zoning By-law and CIP Review page. 

Personal information that accompanies a submission will be collected under the authority of the Planning Act and may form part of the public record which may be released to the public. 

Dated at the City of Kenora this 6th day of January, 2026.