Kingston buys prime waterfront from federal government for token sum of $2
Global News
The City of Kingston is the proud new owner of a basin — as in, Confederation Basin. Council approved the purchase of the prime water lot in front of City Hall.
The City of Kingston is the proud new owner of a basin — as in, Confederation Basin.
City councillors voted unanimously at their Feb. 1 meeting to approve the purchase of the prime water lot in front of City Hall for a nominal sum from the federal government, which has been on a course of divesting itself of waterfront areas. The deal, expected to be finalized at the end of March 2022, concludes nearly two decades of negotiations between the city and the federal department of Fisheries and Oceans.
“I think it’s time. It’s a good time to do it. It’s been in the works since 2004,” says Councillor Rob Hutchison.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Mark Gerretsen, Liberal MP for Kingston and The Islands.
“It’s a good move for the federal government. It’s a good move for the city and it’s long overdue,” he says.
The water lot purchase covers a wide swath of Kingston’s harbour from Battery Park (formerly known as Block D) to the city-owned Crawford Wharf. It includes Flora Macdonald Confederation Basin marina, which the city has leased from Ottawa since 1977, and the Confederation Basin breakwall that protects the marina. The historic Shoal Tower and the immediate water around it, however, will remain in federal hands.
“Under the terms of the proposed transfer, the city will acquire Confederation Basin in an as-is condition for $2.00 and agree to maintain it as a public harbour for at least five years,” according to a staff report from Peter Huigenbos, city commissioner of business, environment and projects.
The divestiture of federal properties is normally done at fair market value. In this case, the water lot is valued at $6.5 million. However, city officials say they managed to secure the bargain basement purchase for $2 based on a federal stipulation that the site be retained as a public harbour and, presumably, not sold to the private sector for a minimum of five years.