Programs

Programs

Downtown Charlottetown Gift Card

The Downtown Charlottetown Gift Card works just like cash and encourages local spending. They are ideal for the ‘hard to shop for’ people in your life and make great corporate gifts - reward your staff & clients. Gift Cards can be redeemed at more than 120 participating businesses. Click here for more information.

Downtown Dollars

The Downtown Dollars are as good as cash (but cannot be redeemed for cash) in Downtown Charlottetown’s BIA; between Prince and Pownal St and from Euston St to the Water. The dollars are used to purchase goods and services Downtown and do not expire. In 2023, the Downtown Dollars program switched over to the Downtown Charlottetown Gift Card (see above) but the Downtown Dollars are still accepted at more than 100 businesses. Click Here for more information. 

The Award Winning Adopt a Corner Project 
Winner of the 2009 IDA award of Distinction

This program is a great example of the benefit of partnerships. We call it the little program with the big impacts. Local businesses can take ownership of their part of the program and are rewarded with a sense of pride at having contributed to the beautification of the City. 

Each year DCI puts all the corners within the BIA up for adoption. Local business requests their space, the city crews dig and prepare the beds, the businesses plant the gardens using their staff and the material are purchased at their expense. The City crews maintain the gardens throughout the summer. The results are wonderful blooming gardens all over the city. No two are alike. We receive 100s of comments on this project every year and every year it just gets better.

Winterdine - Charlottetown's Dining Festival

Winterdine is a dining festival that takes place the last few weeks in January, and the first weekend in February at participating restaurants in downtown Charlottetown. This event is price driven - all meals will be $45/$55 each and include 3 courses. This is a great time to plan a social event, meet up with some friends for a fabulous meal or plan a romantic dinner and all at an exceptional value. WinterDine Lunch: first launched in 2023; Enjoy a delicious 2-course lunch at the price points of $12, $16 or $20 at restaurants & cafes in Downtown. 

People's Choice Menu Awards: each year during WinterDine the public is giving the opportunity to vote on their favourite menu - the top 2 menus & Lunch menu with the most votes WINS the People's Choice Menu Award. List of Winners 2015 - Present

Eckhart in the City Scavenger Hunt

Downtown Charlottetown inc. has created, based on author David Weale’s little mouse explorer “Eckhart in Charlottetown” a sort of scavenger hunt. It is a permanent interactive fun attraction for families and children of all ages. Nine of our little bronze mice were installed in their “hiding places” around the City. Can you find them all? 

Big Red Numbers

The Big Red ‘2024’ is placed at the foot of Queen St. at the former Coast Guard Wharf, for all to enjoy, and is updated each year. The sign continues to be the backdrop for many photos – Graduations, family reunion, Weddings, Vacations, birthdays etc. The 10 red Adirondack chairs behind the numbers, facing the harbour, continue to be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.

Fox Walk Story Walk

This free family friendly activity is made up of a series of 9 story boards, placed around the downtown, which tell the story of Ringo the Fox, and his family. Each story board includes a page of the story, directions to the following page/board, and a downtown map with fox prints indicating the story board locations, as well a fox facts and original artwork. It begins at the Giant Sunflower at Founder's Hall.

The Story Walk is a wonderful way for families, and people of all ages to combine literacy and healthy exercise as they follow the trail to each of the 9 reading stations – all the while enjoying and exploring Downtown Charlottetown. For more information click HERE.

Love Locks

Locks Latch on a Token of Your Emotion: 21’ free standing, steel installation spells out the word “LOVE” before a beautiful harbour water backdrop, inviting visitors to lock down their love; it can handle hundreds of personalized locks. The Love Locks installation is located at the bottom of Queen street, near the Big Red Numbers. 

Downtown Farmers' Market

The Downtown Farmers Market is an open air street market which runs Sundays from late June to late September every year, and is located on lower Queen Street. It features over 70 vendors selling a wide variety of products such as: local organic fruit, vegetables; freshly baked breads and desserts; and ethnic and Canadian food service options. Various local artisans are also featured at the market, selling handmade jewelry, wood carvings, crafts, artwork and much more.

In addition, the Downtown Farmers’ Market features local musicians and entertainers; attendees of the market are encouraged to stay tuned to DCI’s Facebook and Twitter pages for up-to-date information about who will be featured throughout the summer. The market is a fun and vibrant attraction for all ages, and with new vendors and products joining all summer long, it truly is another great reason to make downtown Charlottetown your own. 

The Downtown Discount Card Program

This Downtown Discount Card provides customers, old and new, with a minimum of 10% discount or savings when they shop at one of more than 50 participating businesses

Cards are sold for $5 at participating merchants. Card expires May 31st. Click HERE for more information. 

Parking Ticket Forgiveness Program

In the months of April, October, and November of 2023, if you received a parking meter ticket in Downtown Charlottetown you were eligible to have it forgiven, using a purchase receipt of $35 or more from a downtown business. More Information HERE

Small Business Week

Each year DCI hosts a series of events to celebrate our small businesses and encourage everyone to come downtown and #supportlocal. Small Business Week initiatives include Dollars 4 Dollars (see details below), Shop n Stroll - Sidewalk Sale, Promoting Sales and Promotions, Park Free, Meet Your Downtown, Co op Ads, and more!

Dollars4Dollars

A Small Business Week program: For every $50 you spend in the Downtown BIA* during Small Business Week, you are eligible to receive $10 Downtown Dollars in return! More details released leading into SBW each year.

Present Passport

The Present Passport is an added incentive for customers to Shop Local during the holiday season. Participating businesses hand out Present Passports to any costumer who spends $25 + (before tax), each $25 spent equal 1 "stamp" in their present passport. Costumers can fill their passports at one or more participating businesses. Each completed passport can be dropped in the ballot box to be entered to win a weekly draw of $250 Downtown Dollars OR our $500 Downtown Dollars Grand Prize Draw! Program run from late November to Mid December.

Nutcrack Tour

DCI’s Nutcracker Tour is a fun, family friendly activity in Downtown Charlottetown. Each participating Business adopts a hand-carved Nutcracker and decorated him in their own festive theme. All Nutcrackers are placed on display during the holiday season; late November through the end of December. Please contact us if your business is interested in adopting a nutcracker!

Christmas Lights and Window Decorating Project

These programs, managed by DCI with the participation of downtown merchants go a long way to enhance our downtown for the Festive time of the year. Starting Mid November business are decorated with pine bow and white lights. Retailers decorate storefronts as part of the program and a change to win prizes. 

Light Up Your Business Grant - this grant was designed to help create a more vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for a downtown or main street area during the Holiday season. 

Pine Bows & Lights: Mark Blanchard - 902-393-2239

'Buy Local' Campaign

DCI Promotes 'Buy Local' - Why Buy Local?:
  • Keep Dollars in the Charlottetown Economy
  • Embrace what makes Charlottetown Unique
  • Foster local job creation
  • Help the environment
  • Nurture the community
  • Conserve your tax dollars
  • Have more choices
  • Benefit from local owners expertise
  • Preserve Entrepreneurship
  • Ensure Charlottetown stands out from the crowd

Parking

The Parking Committee participates yearly with “Park Free” ads to encourage shoppers over the Christmas shopping season. Support the Validation programs with CADC.

Parking Tokens

DCI is happy to present our “Parking Token” program for downtown Charlottetown. Reward your valued customers when they visit your business! Tokens can be used in either meters or any of the three Parkades for 1 hour free parking. If you already participate in the Parkade Validation Sticker program, you can now also provide this valued service to your customers who prefer metered parking. Tokens can be purchased at any of the Parkade booths; Queen, Pownal or Fitzroy.

Coats for Kids Every October – a way to give back

You can help ensure every Island child has a warm coat in the winter.

Bring us your gently used kids coats, mittens, hats, scarves and boots. Don't forget the special need for infants and toddlers. The collected coats will be cleaned by Sterns Laundry and will be distributed to families through the Salvation Army.

Clean Team

Clean Team Members will create and maintain a clean, welcoming and safe environment for the Downtown Charlottetown core area Municipality residents, visitors and tourists. The Clean Team Members will work cooperatively to maintain streets and sidewalks, remove graffiti, paint public realm items, and assist with poster removal and kiosk duties as required within the defined area of the Downtown Charlottetown Inc. While working at assigned tasks, the Clean Team Members will project a positive image of the Downtown Charlottetown Businesses, and will provide information and assistance to the residents, visitors, and tourists in a friendly helpful fashion.

Picnic Tables on the Row

In Summer of 2014 DCI placed 12 colorful picnic tables on Victoria Row. Each table is complete with checker board and checkers. It is a little project that turned out to be a big success. Visitors and locals alike used the tables as a break area, a place to meet, enjoy the music on the Row and challenge each other to a game of checkers. Fun and practicle, this program is a keeper.

Gritty to Pretty

The Gritty to Pretty program awarded a limited number of grants for beautification projects located in the Downtown Charlottetown Business Improvement Area*. These projects contributed to DCI’s strategic beautification goals. This program was designed to encourage community involvement and enhance the downtown.

DCI has compiled a list and map of downtown business that carry local craft beer on tap and in a can or bottle. We update this list yearly and distribute it to visitor information centers in the Downtown Core. Find more details HERE.

Graffiti Removal Program

DCI is committed to providing a clean, vibrant, safe and welcoming downtown for all residents, workers and visitors. As a part of this commitment DCI has created the Graffiti Removal Program

Business Development - Recruitment

Our recruitment team has chosen to focus on Financial Institutions. Yearly this dedicated group travel to Toronto to meet with a group of CEO and sell the benefits of living and doing business in Downtown Charlottetown. So far our successes include AimTriMark, Ceridian and Data Shapers. Our efforts are ongoing. This year DCI hired Rain Communications to create a 3 yr Prospecting and Marketing Strategy.

Sponsorships

Part of the DCI mandate is to encourage new events in the downtown – in hopes that these functions will encourage visitation and retail/dining sales. Here are events we sponsored over the past number of years:
  • Music PEI
  • Diverse City, PEI Assoc. for Newcomers to Canada
  • Moonlight Bazaar
  • Jazz and Blues Festival
  • Always on Stage
  • PEI Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival
  • PEI Beer Festival 
  • PEI International Shellfish Festival
  • This Town is Small
  • Island Fringe Festival
  • GranFondo PEI
  • Savour
  • PEI Marathon
  • Jack Frost
  • PEI Wine Festival
  • Gold Cup Parade
  • Savour Food and Wine Show

Art & Seek

Art from talented local artist is wrapped and hidden around the Downtown for people to find and TAKE HOME! 


Here's how it works:

1. Follow the clues posted on our Instagram Account. Plus Bios and samples from our amazing artists!

2. Find the Art: All art pieces are wrapped in brown paper with the Art & Seek sticker on them.

3. Post a Pic – You & Art: Take a photo of your find.

4. Thank the Artist: Tag the artist and post it on social media to thank them.

5. Take the Art Home to cherish


This event was held on Friday, August 20th, 2021. 

Clean Sweep

The event serves as an opportunity for business members to get outside and contribute to a cleaner, more beautiful Downtown. Clean Sweep is a fun way for Downtown businesses to show they care about living and working in a clean and well-maintained community. It is our hope that this event inspires people to keep our streets clean year-round.

The Annual Downtown Barbeque

This program is a great way to thank downtown workers who support our businesses all year round with free food and fun. DCI partners with the City and local business to provide a huge Barbeque complete with all the fixings. We send invitation to all downtown employees to come join us. City Councilors and local celebrities help serve.

Charlottetown Snowbirds Seniors Club

The COVID 19 Pandemic left many seniors, and those who would normally be wintering in the Sunny South, (AKA Snowbirds), wondering what they will do in winter. In an effort to celebrate, support, and protect the Seniors and Snowbirds who are not travelling this winter, Downtown Charlottetown Inc (DCI) asked our business community for ideas in creating small group, COVID19 safe, private, events and opportunities for these groups to keep active in Downtown Charlottetown; Activities included restaurant private room group dinners, after hours private shopping group, art classes, weekend hotel packages, spa specials, cocktail hours, indoor golf sessions, music, guest speaker sessions. Membership was free!

Christmas Co op Marketing Campaign

Downtown Charlottetown “Make it Your Own this Christmas”, TV, print and radio ads with tag can be reimbursed (25% of advertising cost reimbursed to a maximum of $500).

Marketing Campaigns

The Spring and Fall Marketing Campaigns primarily purchase and produce TV commercials which highlight features of our downtown. “What Brings you Downtown?”

Streetscape and Capital Projects

This project is set to see the redevelopment of University Avenue, Euston to Grafton. We hope to see progress on this project with our Partners The City of Charlottetown and ACOA.

Special Project - Design Charrette

How best to create a new vision for an old street? You put some of the best Architectural minds your city has to offer in one room for one day with a common purpose. The results; a new vision for a redesign on the Historic portion of University Avenue which we hope to see it become reality in the near future.

Heritage Wayfinding Project

This project saw new street blades (Issues have been resolved), information kiosks, gateway and directional signage placed throughout the core. DCI contributes over two years in partnership with TCI, ACOA and the Province.
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