Property maintenance — Kingston, Ontario

What are the rules on junk, derelict cars, and unsightly property?

In the City of Kingston, Ontario, property maintenance rules are set by Property Standards Bylaw No. 2005-100 and 1 other bylaw, verified 2026-10-18. Standards: Property not meeting prescribed Standards; unsightly conditions; accumulation or storage of garbage, refuse, appliances, or furniture in a means of egress. Enforcement: Officer may issue order; if not complied, City may repair or demolish; Owner pays cost plus administrative fee added to tax bill.

Property Standards Bylaw No. 2005-100 adopted bylaw
standards Property not meeting prescribed Standards; unsightly conditions; accumulation or storage of garbage, refuse, appliances, or furniture in a means of egress. s. 10.1; s. 4.50; s. 5.40
enforcement Officer may issue order; if not complied, City may repair or demolish; Owner pays cost plus administrative fee added to tax bill. s. 8.1-8.3
scout note

Sets minimum maintenance/occupancy standards for all Kingston properties (structural soundness, exterior condition, utilities, sanitation, habitability), with enhanced rules for heritage properties. (Bylaw Library's own 'pdf format' link is broken sitewide -> jotform request form, not bytes; see notes -- document_url is the city's descriptive page instead.)

Yards By-law No. 2007-136 adopted bylaw
standards Land must be clean and free of hazards, >20 cm turfgrass, prohibited plants, refuse, dumping, interior furniture outside, front-yard garbage receptacles except immediate pick-up, and recreation/inoperative vehicles except as permitted. s. 4.1; s. 4.2(1)-(2); s. 4.4; s. 4.8; s. 4.11; s. 4.12; s. 4.14; s. 4.15
enforcement Director/officer may order compliance; if default, City may do work, dispose of removed items, and recover costs with 15 percent interest and a lien by action or like municipal taxes. s. 5.1; s. 5.9; s. 5.10; s. 5.11
scout note

Requires yards be kept clean and free of refuse/hazards/prohibited vegetation; prohibits storing inoperative motor vehicles, RVs and wrecking-yard material except where zoning permits. (Bylaw Library's own 'pdf format' link is broken sitewide -> jotform request form, not bytes; see notes -- document_url is the city's descriptive page instead.)

Machine-readable: property-maintenance.json · Official website: http://www.cityofkingston.ca/ · Last verified 2026-10-18 · Property maintenance across Ontario · Property maintenance in other municipalities