The City of Hamilton’s Property Standards Committee has failed to achieve quorum for the third time this year, impeding the enforcement of new and previously delayed safety and property maintenance orders.
The committee failed to make quorum in March; this created a one-month delay in the city enforcing orders against the owner of 21 John Street South. The committee also failed to make quorum in October, leaving the city unable to enforce orders in a tenant matter, a heritage building protection order, and a safety order for a downtown building across the road from the downtown arena.
Despite these repeated incidents, which leave tenants waiting for essential repairs and expose heritage buildings to winter freeze-thaw cycles that could cause collapse, Hamilton City Council has no plans to address attendance issues that have plagued City Hall in 2025.
The Nov. 5 meeting cancellation means the city cannot enforce orders delayed from the cancelled October meeting. Furthermore, the cancellation delays action on new orders involving the deterioration of properties, including a designated heritage structure in Waterdown.
At 265 Mill St. S. in Waterdown, the lack of a decision will expose the designated heritage structure to the winter. City property standards officials were seeking to enforce an order, issued on April 17, that requires the owner, Braebourne Holdings Inc., to make repairs to prevent water and weather damage. The owner was originally required to complete the repairs by July 4. Without the enforcement, the heritage property will now be subject to the winter freeze-thaw cycle, a situation that could lead to demolition by neglect.
A matter concerning a structure at 1007 Beach Blvd. is also delayed. The city is seeking to require the owner to make repairs to a single-detached home that is approved for future demolition. While the owner has approvals to demolish the home, they do not yet have planning permissions to sever the larger lot into two properties for the construction of two new homes. Property owners are required to maintain structures in a safe condition, regardless of planned demolition.
The three other items on the five-item agenda were deferred from the committee’s failed meeting in October.
The Property Standards Committee consists of five citizen members. Only two members showed up at City Hall for the Nov. 5 meeting.
The next scheduled meeting of the Property Standards Committee is Dec. 17. City Council itself has experienced numerous meeting cancellations throughout 2025 due to lack of attendance by council members.
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Published: November 5, 2025
Last updated: November 5, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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