This year, 2025, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the passage of Ontario's first comprehensive heritage protection legislation, the Ontario Heritage Act.
Dr. Marcus Letourneau, MCIP, RPP, CAHP, CIPM I is President of M. R. Letourneau and Associates Inc., a specialized heritage and strategic planning firm focused on creative solutions for the management of cultural heritage resources.
Last month the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing announced that the new Provincial Planning Statement, 2024 had been issued. The new PPS, replacing the current Provincial Policy Statement, 2020, will take effect on October 30. [1]
First: A win for heritage! Municipalities and heritage groups welcomed the May 27 announcement of Bill 200’s extension of the deadline for the designation of currently listed properties for two years — from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2027. [1]First: A win for heritage! Municipalities and heritage groups welcomed the May 27 announcement of Bill 200’s extension of the deadline for the designation of currently listed properties for two years — from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2027. [1]
On April 14 the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) released the latest draft of the proposed new provincial policy statement under the Planning Act. Called the Provincial Planning Statement 2024, the proposal is posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) and open for public comment until May 12. [1]
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.
We continue to look at the implications of Bill 23 for Ontario’s 140+ Heritage Conservation Districts.
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.
Port Hope has stared down Goliath over the demolition of the old Port Hope Hospital - for now, at least.
Last time we looked at what might be coming in the province’s new housing-focussed “policy instrument.”1 Now it — the proposed new Provincial Planning Statement — is here!