Historic Burlington sites could be at risk under Ontario’s More Homes Built Faster Act
Published November 21, 2022 at 10:53 am
A long list of historic Burlington properties could be at risk under new legislation from the province.
The More Homes Built Faster Act (Bill 23) legislation impacts the Ontario Heritage Act, according to a Heritage Burlington Advisory Committee report for the Nov. 22 meeting.
The Heritage Act helps municipalities recognize cultural and heritage resources, protect and preserve them. Often the act is the only measure available to prevent the demolition of heritage assets.
The Heritage Act was already weakened in 2021 under Bill 108 – More Homes, More Choice. This new act, More Homes Built Faster, will further weaken heritage protections, the report notes.
Currently, properties can be either designated or listed on the municipal register as a non-designated building. While designation provides better protection for a property or landscape, the designation requires property owners get a heritage permit for any maintenance or repair work to the historic elements of the property.
But listing on the register allows the owner to make any changes or maintenance to their property without any permits or involvement of the municipality.
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However, if a property owner wants to demolish the property on the register, the municipality has 60 days to conduct a heritage assessment to determine if the property has considerable heritage or cultural significance. If the study concludes that it does, the city could decide to designate the property to prevent demolition.
Under the More Homes Built Faster Act, non-designated properties would be automatically removed from the Heritage Register if a municipality does not pass a designation bylaw within two years of the act or repeals a designation bylaw.
“Multiple high-profile, landmark heritage sites are threatened by this legislative change,” the committee report notes. “This bill, if approved, will weaken all municipalities’ ability to identify and protect their valuable heritage resources, which, once lost, can never be replaced.”
The Heritage Burlington Advisory Committee is recommending city council send a letter to the province requesting they don’t pass Bill 23 until there is further evaluation, analysis, and consultation municipalities and heritage-based conservation associations/organizations.
The properties at risk in Burlington include:
- Mount Vernon Cemetery (c. 1814)
- Burlington Central High School (c. 1922),
- The Holy Sepulchre Chapel / Cemetery (c.1889),
- Sherwood Inn: Formerly The Queens Hotel Originally the Zimmerman House (c. 1860),
- Burlington Central Public School (c. 1912 and 1922),
- Lowville United Church Cemetery Est. 1861 (aka 0 Britannia Rd.)
- Hamilton and North Western Rail Road Station (c.1875),
- The Dakota Schoolhouse (c.1862)
- Nelson United Church and Cemetery (c.1859)
- St John’s Anglican Church (c.1839)
- St. Luke’s Church and Burying Grounds (aka 1370 Ontario St.) (c.1834)
- The Former Methodist Episcopal Church (c. 1868)
- The Iron Duke
- Knox Presbyterian Church (c.1845)
- The Laing – Speers House and former Burlington Public Library (c.1873)
- Cedar Springs Community Club,
- Greenwood Cemetery (591 Oneida Dr)
- The Bradt Pioneer Cemetery (c.1856)
- The Burlington Electric Company
- The Kilbride Schoolhouse (c.1876)
- The Joseph Brant House Museum (c.1937)
- The Sewage Pumping Station (c.1915)
- Lakeshore Public School (c.1919)
- L’Eglise St Philippe Originally Calvary Baptist Church (c.1875)
- Kilbride Presbyterian Cemetery
- The Chrysler Carriage Shop (aka 2105 Old Lakeshore Rd.) (c.1859)
- St. Matthew on the Plains Church and Cemetery (c.1866/1920)
- East Plains United Church and Cemetery (c.1866/1907)
- The Holy Sepulchre Chapel / Cemetery (c.1889)
- Mount Vernon Cemetery (c.1814)
- The Stewart – Spence House, 0 Appleby Line (Built 1832)