"Experience You Know"

“Experience You Know.” That is Erwin Wiens’ key pitch for becoming Lord Mayor.  His website says experience “means asking the right questions, reviewing the details, and making informed decisions based on facts, not assumptions” and “recognizing the difference between what sounds good and what can actually be achieved.”

Let’s test that on a recent example.

Experience You Know: Tax Breaks for Rich Developers

On July 15, 2025, a lawyer for the developer of the hotel that is being built where Parliament Oak public school used to be asked council that $804,573 in development charges be waived.  This decision went all the way to Niagara Region council and was approved with significant debate. 

These development charges would have helped to pay for infrastructure, including regional roads, water and waste water, and storm sewers.

At Council, Wiens asked the developer’s lawyer if this type of request has ever happened at any other municipalities? The developer’s lawyer answered that there was no precedent.

Town staff confirmed that this was the first request they had ever seen of this kind. 

Councillor Andrew Niven then asked the lawyer if the developer discussed this issue formally with Niagara Region.  The lawyer said yes, but Region staff denied the request.  Niagara-on-the-Lake’s own Chief Administrative Officer said the Town was not in a position to address the legal implications of the developer’s request. 

Experience You Know: Experts Disagreed

At this point, Weins knew that this request for a tax break was questionable, unprecedented, refused by expert staff and had unclear legal and financial implications.

So what did he decide to do?  He moved for the Town to support letting the developer off the hook for more than $800,000.  He moved to use public money to pay for the infrastructure costs connected with this massive new commercial development.

The giant pit that is being dug now on King Street is a perfect metaphor for the pit of public money being sunk in to a hotel that used to be a public school for children.

Ontario law puts strict limits on municipalities handing financial benefits to private businesses.  Whether those limits applied here or not was precisely the kind of question a legal opinion answers.  If the Town had its own proper legal counsel, a professional Lawyer on staff who could advocate for the interests of this community, things might have been different. 

But Erwin Wiens and the Experience You Know charged ahead without waiting for a legal opinion or any other expert advice.

Regional staff did warn that if the developer was given the requested financial benefit, the missing money “will be funded by tax levy.” In layman’s terms, that means “will be paid for by tax payers.”  At the time this tax break for a rich developer was approved, Niagara Region’s budget already had a $392 million hole in it.  This decision made that hole almost a million dollars bigger.

Experience You Know: Closed Meetings lead to Even More Goodies

After moving to let one developer off the hook for more than $800,000, Wiens then participated in a closed session meeting when Council considered what to do about a lawsuit brought by another developer, Hummel Properties.  Rainer Hummel is Erwin Wiens’ cousin.

Wiens did not recuse himself or declare a conflict in this discussion.  Instead, he and his fellow Councillors eventually approved a $1-million settlement with Hummel Properties. Why? Because in December 2018, in the opening days of his own first Council term, Niagara-on-the-Lake passed a bylaw affecting Hummel Properties that the Court of Appeal later overturned.

The Town’s own statement on the million dollar settlement admitted that the Town had “failed to investigate the concern and seek legal advice.” In future, Council “commit[ed] to … seeking legal advice before acting.”

Experience You Know: More of the Same, Now a Strong Mayor

Weins now wants to be Lord Mayor with all the Strong Mayor powers granted by his friend Doug Ford. He promises to eliminate “unnecessary legal and consultant costs,” which in layman’s terms means “kick out all of the experts except for me.” 

Wiens’ dislike for advice already cost taxpayers more than $1.8 million since July last year.  The Experience You Know is costing money when no one bothers to ask or care what is actually legal.

Experience You Know: Hard Pass 

Weins says residents “deserve transparency, accountability, and value-for-money from every level of government.” It says experience means knowing the difference between what sounds good and what can actually be achieved.

I couldn’t agree more.  Starting on October 5 and ending on Election Day October 26, when NOTL residents vote for a new Lord Mayor, they should seriously consider which candidate lives up to these important standards.

The Experience We Know has let us down.

Vote for a new way forward, get involved and learn more at vaughngoettlerforlordmayor.com.