This post is the twenty-sixth in a series in which we reached out to municipal candidates to ask their heritage platform. Responses will be posted in the order received.
Mandi Quiring was the twenty-sixth candidate to respond. She is also our first response for the Municipality of Leamington where she is running for a council seat.
- How will you help protect the many heritage‑significant buildings in Leamington that will be cleared from the list of properties of heritage interest and could be demolished without notice after 2027?
To prevent a wave of unannounced demolitions after January 1, 2027, we must change the financial math for property owners. Heritage preservation cannot just be a regulatory burden; it must be an economically viable choice. I will protect these threatened buildings by introducing a Heritage Property Tax Relief Program before the deadline:
- Leverage the Municipal Act: I will advocate for a municipal bylaw under Section 365.2 of the Ontario Municipal Act to provide up to a 40% property tax reduction for owners who enter into voluntary heritage conservation agreements.
- Offset the “Heritage Premium”: Property owners frequently face higher insurance premiums and specialized maintenance costs when a building is designated. Offering a structural tax rebate directly offsets these expenses, neutralizing the primary financial incentive to demolish.
2. What role should council play in strengthening heritage conservation overall?
Council’s role must shift from enforcement to economic enablement. If we want developers to invest in our heritage landscape rather than tearing it down, Council must treat conservation as a tool for urban renewal and economic growth. I will champion this by:
- Expanding Community Improvement Plans (CIPs): I will push to broaden Leamington’s current CIP framework to include specialized Heritage Restoration Grants, providing matching dollar-for-dollar funding for facade improvements and structural stabilization.
- Introducing Tax Increment Equivalent Grants (TIEGs): For developers taking on complex adaptive reuse projects, Council should implement TIEGs. This program defers property tax increases resulting from a building’s rehabilitation, allowing developers to recoup their upfront restoration costs over a multi-year period.
- Optimizing Density Transfers: I will support zoning updates that allow developers to transfer unused development density from a protected heritage site to an adjacent plot, unlocking financial value without altering historic facades.
- Modernizing the Business Case: Council must actively promote the fact that restoring historic properties creates local construction jobs, retains embodied carbon, and builds a distinct, tourism-friendly downtown identity that attracts long-term investment.
- What is your favourite heritage building in Leamington? Why is it meaningful to you?
My favourite is the Leamington Arts Centre. As a beautifully preserved former post office, it stands as the ultimate proof-of-concept for adaptive reuse in our municipality.
It is deeply meaningful to me because it demonstrates that our historic structures are not dead spaces; they are economic and cultural engines. When we use proactive tools like tax incentives to save buildings like this, we aren’t just saving brick and mortar—we are preserving the unique local character that makes people want to visit, invest in, and move to Leamington.
Thank you again for bringing attention to this pivotal issue. I look forward to working collaboratively with our community heritage advocates to secure Leamington’s history for future generations.
To follow this candidates campaign, visit her Facebook Page.
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