News

Oxford Beautification Facade Program

Published: September 16, 2025

The Town of Oxford is fortunate to have historic buildings that date back to the 1800s and early 1900s.

The  pdf 2025 Oxford Beautification Facade Program(3.58 MB) will be administered by the Town of Oxford and is supported by the River Philip Foundation, which is providing funds to improve the commercial streetscape on Main Street and Water Street, zoned under the Town of Oxford Bylaws in the “Downtown Commercial” area.

The façade improvement program is to help improve the overall look and feel of the downtown and to spark additional investment in the downtown by business proprietors. Better façades will provide many benefits:

• a more appealing environment for both residents and visitors who shop in the Town
• protecting and enhancing the historical value of Oxford’s built environment
• improving property values for building owners
• increasing revenue for business owners

The Town of Oxford receives applications from those applying for support from the Façade program.

Once vetted at the staff level, applications will be forwarded to Oxford’s Beautification Advisory Committee (OBAC) for review and consideration.

OBAC, with support from the Chief Administration Officer, will have the authority to officially approve or deny an application.

If an application does not fully satisfy expectations, OBAC may correspond with the applicant to indicate how the application may be improved to meet the formal approval by OBAC.

Permits

Applying to this program is not the same as applying to the Town for a development or building permit.

Many of the projects funded under this program will also require a development and/or building permit from the Town of Oxford, and proponents must apply for any required permits before undertaking work.

If you are unsure whether your project requires a permit, please phone 902-447-2624.

For more information, please review the   pdf Oxford Facade Program Booklet(3.58 MB) .

For even more information, please contact:

Town of Oxford
c/o Chief Administration Officer
105 Lower Main Street, Oxford, NS B0M 1P0
902-447-2624