Updated April 29, 2019

I’ve received numerous concerned messages from members of the public regarding the cancellation of the Limestone Art and Craft Show this weekend . I do want to take this opportunity to explain what happened and why this decision was made.

The City’s business permit application process requires that an event meet set standards before a permit is issued.  Part of this process involves a review of the application by the City and other authorities. In the event that one or more of the regulating authorities declines to approve the application, the permit cannot be issued. In this instance, the permit application for the Limestone Art Show was declined based on the standards outlined in the City’s Zoning Bylaw. The property is not zoned to allow events of this nature.

The owners of the Kingston 1000 Islands Sportsplex were informed by the City of Kingston some months ago that events of this nature are not permitted at their site. The Limestone Art and Craft Show event organizer, TM Productions, appear to have signed the contract with the Kingston 1000 Islands Sportsplex on March 29th, 2019. The City understands the impact that a cancellation such as this can have on the local artists and other residents planning to attend this weekend’s event and it is unfortunate that prior to signing a contact, TM Productions were not informed by the Kingston 1000 Islands Sportsplex that events like this are not permitted.

The City received a licensing application two weeks after the contract was signed by TM Productions and as per our normal practice the application was reviewed by a number of departments. The permit was denied this week.

When an event occurs without the appropriate approvals, the City will review the situation and may pursue one of a number of different legal avenues. These processes range from negotiation to prosecution of an infraction of the law. These processes are confidential until finalized for the sake of all involved parties. If a matter is made public through being before the court the City may not be at liberty to comment.

We can confirm that the Dec. 2018 Artfest Kingston Christmas Art and Craft Show and the Kingston Home and Garden & Kingston Boat Show that took place in March of this year were held without obtaining the required City approvals. We can also confirm that the City has been working with the owners of this property to achieve a successful outcome which is in compliance on this matter.

The City wants to support business owners first and foremost, and it has historically worked with applicants on zoning matters to ensure that compliance can be achieved for future events. The City makes sure that business owners are aware of their obligations and of available resources in order to avoid issues such as zoning non-compliance.  Please note that ensuring a venue complies with zoning rules is the responsibility of the host facility and the producers of the event are responsible for acquiring the appropriate permits to conduct the event.

If you’re ever unsure about whether the event you’re planning to attend has the appropriate permits, don’t hesitate to contact the licensing division at licensing@cityofkingston.ca or 613-546-4291 ext. 3150.  Ensuring an event or business is properly permitted validates the enterprise and assures the public and participants that required standards have been met.