The Downtown Victoria Business Association offers a range of financial assistance through our various grant programs:
Brica Brac Salvage on Lower Yates Street received an Illumination Grant for their storefront in 2025.
ILLUMINATION GRANTS
Good lighting helps create a downtown that feels welcoming, vibrant, and safe. The Illumination Grant supports businesses and property owners looking to improve exterior lighting on their buildings.
This grant covers 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $1,000 per business, to help with the installation of exterior lighting. Since 2005, many downtown spaces have been enhanced through this program, and it is now streamlined to better support small businesses.
Funding may be used for:
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Retaining professional lighting design services
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Purchasing lighting products
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Installing lighting
Grants require pre-approval and are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available funds. Funding is paid upon satisfactory completion of the work and submission of receipts.
To be eligible, the property must be located within the Downtown Victoria boundaries. Where applicable, lighting installations must receive the necessary heritage and design approvals, as well as required City of Victoria permits.
For more information, please contact Madison (madison@downtownvictoria.ca) or Alison (alison@downtownvictoria.ca).
GULL DETERRENT GRANTS
Seagulls can be a persistent challenge for downtown properties — and we can help. The Gull Deterrent Grant supports property owners installing permanent rooftop or roofline deterrent systems designed to prevent seagulls from roosting or perching.
This grant provides 50% of the cost of materials and hired labour, to a maximum of $500.
To be eligible, the property must be located within the Downtown Victoria boundaries, and the application must be approved by the DVBA before work begins. Funding is issued upon completion of the work and submission of receipts.
For more information, please contact Madison (madison@downtownvictoria.ca) or Alison (alison@downtownvictoria.ca).
VANDALISM REPAIR GRANTS
The Vandalism Repair Grant is delivered in partnership with the City of Victoria and is designed to help downtown businesses respond quickly to vandalism and break-ins. Prompt repairs support a welcoming, safe, and vibrant downtown for businesses, workers, residents, and visitors.
Through this program, the DVBA provides reimbursement of up to 50% of eligible repair costs, to a one-time maximum of $1,000 per business. Eligible repairs include damage to windows, doors, and locks resulting from vandalism or break-ins.
Funding is available to businesses located within the Downtown Victoria boundaries on a first-come, first-served basis, and is available until December 31, 2026, or until program funds are fully utilized.
Businesses must disclose whether insurance coverage has been or will be received for the same expenses, and any overlap will be managed to ensure costs are not reimbursed twice. Repairs that have not yet been completed must be initiated promptly after receiving grant approval.
This program is administered by the DVBA, with applications processed quickly to help businesses restore safety and security as soon as possible.
For more information, please contact Madison (madison@downtownvictoria.ca) or Alison (alison@downtownvictoria.ca).
SECURITY GRANTS
The Security Grant supports businesses and property owners looking to proactively improve safety and security. Funding can be used for a range of security upgrades or related repairs. Eligible improvements may include setting up security cameras, upgrading lock quality, installing window films to reduce breakage, or other.
The DVBA will provide 50% of the cost of eligible security upgrades or vandalism repair, to a maximum of $1,000 per business.
To be eligible for this grant, the property must be located within the downtown Victoria boundaries. Funding is offered on a first-come, first-served basis and is available until December 31, 2026, or until the allocated budget has been exhausted.
Please contact either Madison (madison@downtownvictoria.ca) or Alison (alison@downtownvictoria.ca) for more information on this program.
WAITLISTED: BUSINESS FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
This partnership between the City and the DVBA provides financial support for businesses or property owners looking to improve the overall look and feel of commercial properties. An individual business can apply for a grant reimbursement of 50% of their costs to a maximum of $5000, or a property owner can apply for a grant reimbursement of 50% of costs to a maximum of $5000 per commercial tenant with a street-facing storefront (to a maximum of six tenants).
Participating properties must be within the Downtown Victoria Business Association boundaries.
Up to 50% of a participating business’ eligible expenses will be reimbursed by funds provided jointly by the DVBA and the City of Victoria. (If a business has been or will be receiving payment from insurance coverage, overlap will be managed so that funds for the same expenses will not be reimbursed by both insurance and this program).
Eligible expenses are:
- Exterior building surface treatments to include siding, moulding, trim, paint
- Upgraded exterior lighting features
- Exterior awnings – cleaning or replacement
- Permanent landscaping
- Bird deterrent features
- Exterior cleaning (e.g., hiring a professional company to power wash or scrub walls, windows, doors, awnings, etc.)
Each business and/or property owner is responsible for acquiring all necessary building permits and approvals before executing the Facade Improvement Plan on their building. If the building is a designated Heritage Building, City design approval is needed for proposed work.
Façade Grants are currently being waitlisted. If you are interested in proceeding with façade beautification, please contact Madison Sutcliffe, DVBA Member Engagement Manager, at madison@downtownvictoria.ca.
