Time to invest in downtown revitalization

BRANTFORD, ON – Across Canada historic downtown buildings are being gutted and sent to landfill. Recently, in historic downtown Brantford, forty-one pre-Confederation buildings were torn down.

While touring the site with Marc Laferriere, the New Democrat Candidate for Brant, NDP Heritage Critic Charlie Angus discussed solutions for preventing this type of destruction of such culturally-valuable landmarks.

“In the U.S., innovative tax incentives have led to over $36 billion in new investments for restoring historic buildings,” said the Timmins-James Bay MP. “These tax incentives help maintain culturally vibrant and ecologically-efficient use of our historic architecture.”

In addition to proposing tax incentive programs for heritage renewal, Angus has introduced legislation that would allow the Minister to respond to municipal requests to remove government liens on abandoned buildings. The heavy cost of paying off outstanding government liens often makes redevelopment unfeasible and buildings are left to deteriorate until they are ultimately torn down.

“The Conservatives’ idea of urban renewal is the wrecking ball and the dump truck,” said Laferriere, who was part of the grassroots fight to save the historic Brantford buildings. “New Democrats believe in protecting our heritage and strengthening our downtowns.”