Vacant Building By-law

The Municipality of Huron East is committed to maintaining safe, attractive, and vibrant communities. To support this goal, Council is considering a proposed Vacant Building By-law, which is intended to address the safety, security, and maintenance of commercial or industrial buildings that remain unoccupied for extended periods of time.

The proposed By-law will be brought forward for discussion by Council and, if approved, would help mitigate risks associated with vacant or unmanaged buildings, including potential impacts on public safety, neighbouring properties, and community investment.

The proposed By-law will be brought forward for discussion by Council and, if approved, would help mitigate risks associated with vacant or unmanaged buildings, including potential impacts on public safety, neighbouring properties, and community investment.

The proposed Vacant Building By-law will be available for review on Friday, June 19, 2026 in the agenda package via the Council Calendar.

Please note that the Vacant Building By-law is currently proposed only at this time. No registration or fees are required unless and until the By-law is approved by Council. This page will be updated following Council's consideration of the proposed By-law.

On this page:

1. Who does this apply to?
2. Owner responsibilities under the proposed By-law
3. Additional owner responsibilities
4. Council consideration of the proposed By-law
5. Timeline
6. Contact

Who does this apply to?

The proposed Vacant Building By-law would apply to property owners within the Municipality of Huron East who own commercial or industrial buildings that have been unoccupied for more than sixty (60) consecutive days.

Owner responsibilities under the proposed By-law

Upon final passage of the proposed By-law, owners of vacant buildings will be required to:

• Register the vacant building with the Municipality within 120 consecutive days of the building becoming vacant
• Provide the name and contact information of a responsible agent authorized to act on behalf of the owner
• Maintain the building and property in compliance with:
  • Municipal Property Standards
  • Safety and security regulations
  • Applicable provincial legislation
• Pay all registration, renewal, and inspection fees as prescribed under the By-law

Registration must be renewed annually for as long as the building remains vacant.

Additional owner responsibilities

Owners of vacant buildings are also required to:

• Secure the building against unauthorized entry
• Maintain up‑to‑date liability insurance on the property
• Shut off all utilities after the building has been vacant for more than 90 days, where required, to prevent unsafe conditions such as fire or flooding
• Provide the Municipality with:
• A current floor plan of the vacant building
• An inventory of all combustible materials and flammable liquids stored on the property

Council consideration of the proposed By-law

The Council of the Municipality of Huron East will consider the proposed Vacant Building By-law at its Regular Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., to be held at Huron East Town Hall (72 Main St. S, Seaforth).

Members of the public wishing to address Council on this matter may register as a delegation by completing the Delegation Request Form prior to the meeting.

Timeline

1. Council will consider the proposed Vacant Building By-law at its regular meeting on June 23, 2026.
2. Following Council’s decision, this page will be updated to reflect whether the By-law has been adopted.
3. If the By-law is approved, owners of properties identified as potentially affected will be contacted directly by the Municipality with further information and next steps.
4. Information regarding implementation timelines, registration requirements, and applicable fees will also be provided should the By-law be adopted.

Contact

For any questions, please contact the Building Department at 519-527-0160 ext. 31 or opsassistant@huroneast.com.