Housing Hopes Halted: Leamington ends talks on attainable housing project at former high school

the former Leamington District Secondary School property at 125 Talbot St. W. in Leamington, Ont. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

Leamington has announced that it will not proceed with the proposed attainable and affordable housing development at the former Leamington District Secondary School property, located at 125 Talbot St. west.

According to the municipality, “Despite extensive negotiations, the Municipality and Amico Properties Inc. were unable to finalize an agreement that served the best interests of Leamington taxpayers.”

“This project represented an exciting opportunity to expand attainable housing in our community, and we did everything we could to make it work,” Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald said in a release.

In August 2023, the Leamington Council had accepted Amico’s proposal to develop the site, aiming to address the community’s pressing need for attainable housing. However, the inability to reach mutually agreeable terms has led to the project’s discontinuation.

“We are proud of the bold and innovative approach we developed to tackle our local housing crisis despite the fact that housing is not a lower-tier municipal responsibility,” MacDonald stated. “While it is disappointing that an agreement could not be reached, we must move forward in a way that best serves Leamington taxpayers. Our commitment to supporting attainable housing remains strong, and we will continue to explore partnerships and opportunities to address Leamington’s housing needs.”

The municipality said it remains committed to tackling the housing shortage and is actively exploring alternative avenues to provide attainable and affordable housing solutions for its residents.

Officials said they will immediately consider options to demolish the former school and explore future development options.