Welcome to the Heritage Resources Centre

Heritage Resources Centre logo.

Since 1984 the Heritage Resources Centre (HRC) has conducted research and offered education related to heritage themes and worked with all levels of government on heritage initiatives. The HRC has been a consistent source of empirical studies and a training ground for new generations of heritage professionals. It has supported the activities of legions of tireless community volunteers dedicated to the conservation and celebration of our collective past that provides guidance for our future.

The Many Faces of Heritage: An Interdisciplinary Colloquium

We invite you to an Interdisciplinary Colloquium Convened by the University of Waterloo Heritage Resources Centre! Join us at Federation Hall on April 29th to explore the many faces of heritage. Click here for more details!

The Culture of Cities Centre

Located in downtown Toronto, The Culture of Cities Centre facilitates global collaboration among individuals dedicated to exploring and cultivating urban culture. Through a rich program of publications, workshops and curatorial events, The Culture of Cities Centre has spent nearly two decades studying and shaping narratives of urban culture. Its origins can be traced back to the SSHRC-funded Culture of Cities Project launched in 1999. In the spirit of international collaboration, the Center serves as a nexus for scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts, inviting them to delve into urban life's complexities through various mediums, including book series, journals, and film screenings.

Sample Initiatives

Blog - OHA+M

Ontario Heritage Act + More

The award-winning OHA+M blog focuses on cultural heritage policy issues in Ontario. With new posts every month, blogger Dan Schneider writes on a wide range of topics, especially the historical development of the province’s heritage policy and programs, and provides cogent analysis and commentary on current heritage issues.

Township Cultural Heritage Landscape Project

A landscpe photo of a farmhouse surrounded by trees with fields in the background

The HRC in cooperation with the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and the Region of Waterloo has undertaken a study to identify candidate Cultural Heritage Landscapes in the Townships of Woolwich and Wellesley.

Lake Huron Coastline Workshop for Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation

The Coastal Action Plan for the Southeastern Shoreline of Lake Huron is a project intended to lead to a comprehensive action plan for conservation, restoration and stewardship of the coastal area stretching from Tobermory to Sarnia. In this context, the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation asked the HRC to design and lead the first in a series of three planned workshops.

Stratford Heritage Inventory

In the fall of 2016 the Stratford Heritage Committee asked the Heritage Resources Centre to help them start a Register of Non-Designated Properties. This project was partially completed in 2017.

Ayr Conservation District Survey

During 2017 the Heritage Resources Centre conducted a study for the Township of North Dumfries. The study was to determine the level of interest among property owners in the business section of Ayr towards establishing a Heritage Conservation District.

Blog

It’s really a no-brainer.

The government, without consultation and an understanding of its practical impacts, imposed an arbitrary, very tight deadline for Ontario municipalities to review their municipal heritage registers — and decide whether their listed (non-designated) properties should be designated, failing which they would be kicked off the register and lose all protection. Scores of municipalities across Ontario have been scrambling, working hard to meet the deadline: January 1, 2025, now less than 11 months away. Almost all could use more time to comply.

Ontario's Bill 23 proposes two new changes to Heritage Conservation Districts: the application of criteria for cultural heritage value to district designations; and new rules for amending and repealing Heritage Conservation District plans.

News