The City of Hamilton has cancelled a tax arrears sale for the historic Cannon Knitting Mill at 134 Cannon Street East after the property owner’s corporation paid the outstanding tax balance just hours before bids were to be unsealed at 3:10 p.m. today, November 11.
The City stated outstanding property taxes were $679,955.64.
The eleventh-hour tax payment allows Harry Stinson’s development corporation to retain control of the heritage-designated property.
Property standards orders remain outstanding.
Earlier this year, the City’s Building Department declared the structure unsafe, and ordered the installation of perimeter fencing around the deteriorating site. Residents in the surrounding neighbourhood have documented severe problems at the location, including a rat infestation that has spread into the basements of neighbouring homes.
The Cannon Knitting Mill has been a source of ongoing community concern since Stinson purchased it in 2016 for approximately $3-million from Hamilton Realty Capital Corporation, a City of Hamilton joint-venture corporation. The property has remained largely inactive and in visible decline for the past decade
Ongoing Legal and Regulatory Challenges
The resolution of the tax arrears comes as Stinson faces mounting financial and regulatory challenges related to his Buffalo Grand Hotel project.
As reported on October 22, Stinson recently lost his final appeal at the Ontario Capital Markets Tribunal (OCMT) regarding sanctions related to his Buffalo Grand Hotel project. The full appeal decision was issued on November 3.
No further details regarding how Stinson’s corporation raised the funds, or what steps are being taken to comply with the property standards order, are available at this time.
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Published: November 11, 2025
Last updated: November 11, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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