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Sacrificial lamb: someone or something that suffers so that someone or something more important can succeed  ~ Macmillan Dictionary

Suffers — or in the case of Bill C-323, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (rehabilitation of historic property) — dies.

Today, there’s good news and bad news.  Well, I’ve already told you the bad news.

Today, it’s all about the blog.

I don’t often get to toot my own horn, but… drum roll please. 

Just a few weeks ago in mid-late October, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI) took up detailed consideration of Bill C-323. This is the private member’s bill we’ve been following that would provide income tax incentives for heritage property.^[1]

We’ve been following Bill C-323 — legislation to provide income tax incentives for heritage property, which has been referred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development but not yet taken up.^[1] 

Presumably in part to give them context for the coming Bill C-323 debate, the committee is currently in the midst of a milestone study on “Heritage Preservation and Protection in Canada.”

The aesthetic value of a ruin is pretty obvious (or, depending on the observer, it isn’t). What about its historical value?

Run-down, collapsed building in field

We’re ruminating on ruins, exploring the meaning and value of Ontario’s ruined structures.

Stone bridge

Did I ever tell you about my passion for ruins?

A recent decision by the Conservation Review Board helps elucidate one of the criteria for heritage designation.

In Lambeth Health Organization Inc. v. London (City), issued on March 1, 2017, the Board had to decide whether a 1925 former school building in the community of Lambeth, now part of the City of London, met the criteria for designation in O. Reg. 9/06. ^[1]
 

On the eve of the country’s and province’s 150th anniversary, a look back to two historic achievements associated with our last big national bash.

In case you missed it… on May 30, 2017 Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro introduced the government’s long-anticipated changes to the Ontario Municipal Board. Bill 139, the Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017, combines OMB/planning system-related changes and changes to the Conservation Authorities Act, which has also been under review. ^[1]

The province says: “If passed, the proposed legislation would overhaul the province’s land use planning appeal system.”