Heritage fight: why rural Kingston properties fear losing insurance

Owner says 100-year-old home already a challenge to insure

Two rural Kingston properties avoided heritage designation after concerns about insurance surfaced at a city council meeting.

The properties, a Boundary Road farm and an Orser Road equestrian centre, were part of a larger heritage designation plan. Owners expressed fears that the designation could increase insurance costs or lead to losing coverage entirely.

Bradley Knowles, who owns a 120-acre farm, said insuring his 100-year-old home is already challenging. He worried the designation would make renovations costly and insurance impossible.

Coun. Gary Oosterhof shared similar concerns for the Orser Road property, adding, “There’s amazing stress right now for that family.”

Jennifer Campbell, the city’s community services commissioner, said the Ontario Heritage Act doesn’t allow insurance impacts, but conflicting information from insurers has created confusion.

City staff are meeting with insurance representatives to clarify the issue, and council has paused new heritage designations until more information is available.