Concerns about the impact Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster 2022 Act) could have on the ability of municipalities to preserve heritage sites was a topic of discussion at the March 25 Huntsville Council meeting.
The issue was brought forward by the Huntsville and Area Historical Society (HAAHS) which is urging the Town of Huntsville to move forward with the designation of such sites because the legislation impacts the Ontario Heritage Act and how heritage properties can be identified and conserved, as the provincial government attempts to eliminate barriers for the development of much-needed housing.
Representatives of the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism made a virtual appearance before council. They spoke about how heritage designations work, the role of heritage committees, and how the legislation impacts the Ontario Heritage Act as well as changes to the criteria for determining heritage values under the Ontario Heritage Act, which originally came into force in 1975.
While the Act has been amended throughout the years, in 2022 it was amended again by the province, focused on prioritizing housing with a goal of ensuring that cities and towns, and rural communities could grow and could provide a mix of both ownership and rental housing types to meet the needs of all Ontarians, councillors heard. “That was the motive behind these changes and they were intended to help remove these perceived barriers to housing development and to update the process by which heritage properties are identified by municipalities and how they’re conserved, but to continue to give municipalities the ability to conserve those key heritage properties that matter most to communities,” explained Ministry representatives.
Changes to the Act include how properties are listed and what happens to those properties once they are included as listed properties on the municipal register as well as changes around timing and restrictions on when a municipality can issue a notice of intention to designate a property. Other changes include the threshold for determining whether a property has enough cultural value to be designated and changes by which municipalities create and manage heritage conservation districts.
Municipalities are required to have a public municipal register of registered properties or properties they have intention of registering.
Council heard that Huntsville has 12 registered properties (see below) and another 188 properties that require designation by January 2025 or they are removed from the list for five years and could be at risk of demolition during that period.
Councillors discussed how to address the issue with the help of HAAHS members who noted concerns about the push for development putting heritage sites at risk along with the ability to develop more cultural tourism opportunities in the municipality.
Councillor Jason FitzGerald concurred, especially in Huntsville’s downtown, which he said is the historical heart and soul of the municipality. Committee also heard that only the former Huntsville Forester building and Town Hall have been designated downtown.
HAAHS member Katrina Cotterchio also pointed out that other municipalities have established heritage conservation incentives with the Township of Lake of Bays providing a tax rebate of 40 per cent for designated properties, while others like the Town of Gravenhurst offer a restoration grant.
In the end, council agreed to ask staff to investigate the issue further including the possibility of creating a municipal heritage committee.
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