BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON – The NY Forward process has moved into the Call for Projects” mode following a second public meeting held Tuesday.

The Village of Canton is now accepting project proposals to be evaluated for potential inclusion in the Strategic Investment Plan for its NY Forward program through an Open Call for Projects. The deadline is July 31 at 5 p.m.

“Proposal submission is open to the public for projects that are located within the NY Forward boundary. Projects will be evaluated by the Local Planning Committee (LPC) and consultant team for completion, feasibility, and alignment with the NY Forward vision and goals,” according to a press release.

The consultant team will also be conducting “Virtual Office Hours” to answer questions from potential project sponsors.

The dates for the Virtual Office Hours are Tuesday, July 9, from 9 to 10 a.m.; Thursday, July 11, from noon to 1 p.m.; and Wednesday, July 24, from 3 to 4 p.m.

To register for the Virtual Office Hours, visit the Canton NY Forward website at www.CantonNYForward.com. 

The Call for Projects form can be found on the Canton NY Forward website at www.CantonNYForward.com and provides instructions on the submission of digital and hard copy materials. Projects that were included in the Canton NY Forward application, as well as new proposals are required to complete a Call for Projects form. Projects must have a minimum cost of $75,000 with developers required to provide a 25 percent match.

A Community Survey focused on improving Downtown Canton has been released and shall remain open through Sunday, June 30. The survey is available on the project website at www.CantonNYForward.com or by scanning the QR Code. Hard copies of this survey may be obtained through the Village Clerk’s Office.

NY Forward is a central component of the State's economic development efforts, working together with the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), to accelerate and expand the revitalization of New York's downtowns. NY Forward serves smaller communities with historic character that distinguishes them from the larger, more urban central business districts typically funded through DRI. 

NY Forward communities are walkable, less dense areas that serve the immediate local community, and are more local in nature - focusing on the immediately surrounding residential or rural agricultural centric development. In the North Country Region, Canton and Alexandria Bay were each the recipients of $4.5 million.

The Local Planning Committee (LPC) includes local and regional leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives. LPC members will attend a variety of meetings at which they will be asked to brainstorm ideas, provide direction to consultants, review planning products, and prioritize actions.

Village Mayor Michael Dalton and Kathryn Morris, President of St. Lawrence University and Co-Chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, are the Canton LPC Co-Chairs.

Committee members include Josh Vink, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY), Brian Coakley, North Country Savings Bank, Ariane Palmer, Palmer Real Estate, Connie Jenkins, Canton Church and Community Program, Katie Berry, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, Dave Nelson, United Helpers, and Kirk Davis, Con Tech Building. Support team members include Canton’s Director of Economic Development Leigh Rodriguez and Deputy Mayor Anna Sorensen.

The next public meeting will be held Aug. 13 from  12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Canton Municipal Building courtroom.

The committee will create a list of projects totaling in the $6.5 million range then the state will decide how the $4.5 million will be allocated. The LPC hopes to submit its projects list to the state in October or November with state approvals expected in the spring of 2025. NY Forward is led by the Department of State, in close partnership with Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community Renewal and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

More information about NY Forward can be found at https://www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward.