Brantford City Council approved a bylaw to advance the conditional sale of the former City Hall on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
The sale agreement, valued at $5.2 million, aligns with the City’s goal of ensuring that this property, included within the Victoria Park heritage district, remains integral to serving the public. A condition of the sale is that the site, formerly home to Brantford City Hall and currently housing the Provincial Offences Court, will be repurposed to continue serving the justice system.
Located in the heart of Brantford’s Downtown Urban Growth Centre and the Victoria Park Square Heritage Conservation District, the buildings at the Wellington Street property have played key public service roles in Brantford for more than fifty years. As a condition of the sale, the purchaser is required to redevelop and lease the property to the Ministry of the Attorney General for continued use as a courthouse, ensuring that the buildings will be dedicated to public service delivery for years to come.
“Through this agreement, the City has achieved a key objective in ensuring that this important heritage site remains in public service,” said Kevin Davis, Mayor for the City of Brantford. “The Wellington Street buildings have always served the people of Brantford, and we are proud to see them continue to do so in the future.”
The conditional property sale includes 100 Wellington Street, which spans 51,259 square feet, and 102 Wellington Street, which spans 9,151 square feet, along with a utility tunnel and a 135-space parking lot. While the current Provincial Offences Court space at 102 Wellington Street requires extensive renovations, the new site at 220 Colborne Street will provide nearly triple the space, allowing for expanded services and improved accessibility under updated legislative standards.
Since renovations will take time to complete, the agreement with the purchaser grants the City the right to keep the POA court at 102 Wellington for up to five years following closing. The closing will occur after an 18-month due diligence period plus a 3-month closing process.
The purchaser has up to 18 months for due diligence but may shorten this period if their lease with the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) is secured sooner. Once the lease is in place, there is a fixed 90-day period to close the sale, during which the property and payment are exchanged.
Following the sale, the purchaser has 20 months to construct the new courthouse. If the courthouse is not operational within this timeframe, the City has the option to repurchase the property at the original sale price.
Additionally, the agreement allows the City-administered Provincial Offences Court (POA) to remain at 102 Wellington for up to five years, with the City covering only expenses for the first two years, and the following three years including rent. The lease will end once the POA Court relocates to its new facility at 220 Colborne Street.
Once executed, this agreement will preserve the property’s heritage value and maintain its important public service role, while also providing significant financial benefits to the City by generating new revenue streams and ensuring continued public service operations.
Additionally, the proceeds from the sale will be directed to the City’s housing reserve fund, supporting the development of future affordable housing projects in Brantford.
