Downtown Winnipeg building owners are being encouraged to apply for a city grant for improved lighting on building façades.

Mayor Brian Bowman announced outside City Hall today the City of Winnipeg is now accepting applications to the Building Exterior Lighting Grant Program.

"Through this program, building owners are able to improve exterior lighting on their buildings, making their buildings more welcoming, while at the same time these lighting improvements also make the public areas around these buildings safer," said Bowman.

The grant program has $300,000 allocated to it over a two-year period. Approved grants can get up to $5,000 for professional design consulting fees, and the grant will match up to $10,000 in eligible costs per building façade.

Bowman notes, in a news release, improved lighting was a key recommendation of the city's downtown safety strategy approved by council earlier this year.