If you own a business in Midland here is what you need to know
The council of Midland is urging businesses to take more initiative.
Midland Town Council is expected to ask town staff to investigate the possibility of implementing a vacant building tax for the downtown area. It also considers new regulations requiring building owners to upkeep their storefronts when they are not in use.
Unused and unkept businesses in downtown Midland have caught the eye of the town council.
"We are not reinventing the wheel; other communities have these. We are looking at strengthening our property standards by law by adding some more teeth. You know, we have a lot of carrots. We don't have a lot of sticks. This isn't meant to punish the people who are doing the good work. This is meant to incentivize more the people that, for decades or more, just haven't cared enough about their building," says Bill Gordon, Mayor of Midland.
Gordon and many business owners in the downtown area say that many buildings have been vacant or unkept, affecting other businesses.
"It would be great if there were less vacant storefronts in the downtown core; the more businesses that are open and thriving, the more people want to come down, and the better it is for all of us," says Wesley Hains, who just opened Let Me Be Frank, a hot dog shop in the downtown.
The mayor says the goal is to continue improving the downtown experience. He points to the millions of dollars it has invested in the downtown in recent years and feels it's time to force some property owners who are not looking after their property to help with the downtown experience.
Megan Marchildon is a downtown business owner and the Business Improvement Association (BIA) co-chair.
"If all of us are working together to create a beautiful, thriving and prosperous downtown, it would be great. It is important that the business reflect that, and it is part of the BIA initiative because it does help our overall downtown," says Megan Marchildon, a co-chair with the local BIA.
"We can deal with zoning, we can deal with property standards, and a new tool that's available to us is a vacant unit tax," says Mayor Gordon.
Both ideas will be discussed at tomorrow night's council meeting. Mayor Gordon states that public input will be thoroughly considered before making final decisions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
Three people shot to death in tiny South Dakota town; former mayor charged
Three people were shot to death in a small South Dakota town, and a former law officer who once served as the town's mayor is charged in the killings.
Debunking the 'anti-sunscreen' movement: Doctors say TikTok trend is dangerous
Dermatologists are sounding the alarm about misinformation from the anti-sunscreen movement, saying not wearing sunscreen can cause cancer and other problems.
Poilievre Conservatives offer to help Trudeau Liberals pass foreign interference bill
Pierre Poilievre's Conservative Party is offering to help Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government pass a piece of legislation aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada.
Ont. university says professor fired over 'unethical' sexual relationships with students
An associate professor at McMaster University has been fired after its board of governors found that he engaged in 'unethical, inappropriate and in some instances exploitative' sexual relationships with students.
Richard Dreyfuss' comments about women, LGBTQ2S+ people and diversity lead venue to apologize
The actor Richard Dreyfuss showed up in a dress at a 'Jaws'-themed event in Massachusetts, where the blockbuster 1975 movie he starred in was shot, and then proceeded to make demeaning remarks about women, LGBTQ2S+ people and diversity.
BREAKING Teenager in critical condition after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager is in critical condition after they were hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
'Irrefutable evidence': integrity commissioner finds Parole Board member sexually harassed 'several' employees
There is 'irrefutable evidence' a member of the Parole Board of Canada sexually harassed multiple employees, without adequate disciplinary action from management, according to a report by Canada's Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.