Heritage Planning

Heritage Register

Section 27 of the Ontario Heritage Act requires municipalities on Ontario to keep a Register of properties that are of cultural heritage value or interest. A Heritage Register can include a list of all properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act as well as "listed" properties.

Heritage Register    Ontario Heritage Act

Listed Properties

Listed properties are those properties that are believed to have potential cultural heritage value, but have not been designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Property owners of listed heritage properties are required to provide a municipality with a minimum of 60 days notice of intention to demolish a structure on a listed property. This timeline allows Council to consider the cultural heritage value of the resource and whether it meets provincial criteria for designation under the Ontario Heritage Act. Council consent is not required for alterations to listed properties; however, consultation with Town Heritage staff prior to undertaking alterations to listed properties is strongly encouraged.

Part IV Designated Properties

Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act allows municipalities in Ontario to designate individual properties through the enactment of a municipal by-law which is registered on title. Designation of a property under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act requires the consent of Council for alterations that are likely to impact a property's identified heritage attributes as outlined in the designation by-law.

Part V Designated Properties

Part V, Section 41 of the Ontario Heritage Act allows municipalities in Ontario to designate the municipality or a designed area within the municipality as a Heritage Conservation District (HCD). HCDs are a planning tool that guide the conservation of an historic area or neighbourhood's cultural heritage value. Through the designation of a HCD and the implementation of a HCD Plan, a municipality can guide and manage future change through policies and guidelines meant to protect the area’s character and identified heritage attributes.

The Town of Halton Hills has designated one Heritage Conservation District under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The Syndicate Housing Heritage Conservation District was designated by Council in 2005 under By-law 2005-0020. The Syndicate Housing Heritage Conservation District Designation report and plan were adopted by Council under By-law 2005-0021.

Heritage Incentives

Financial Incentives

The Town of Halton Hills offers two financial incentive programs to assist owners of eligible heritage properties with the cost of conservation: the Heritage Property Grant Program and the Heritage Property Tax Refund Program. These programs have assisted successful applicants in the conservation of their heritage properties within the Town of Halton Hills.

Heritage Property Grant Program

Properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act are eligible for a matching grant of up to $3,000 per year through the Heritage Property Grant Program (view the list of guidelines below) to assist with conservation to a property's identified heritage attributes, subject to eligibility and funding available through the Heritage Foundation of Halton Hills. Applications are accepted after April 1 and due June 1 of each year and will be made available online early each year.

Apply for the Heritage Property Grant Program

Heritage Property Tax Refund Program

Properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act are eligible for an annual refund of 20% of the local, school board, and regional taxes through the Heritage Property Tax Refund Program , subject to eligibility and funding available. Applications are accepted after January 1 and due February 28 of each year and will be available online by December of each year.

Apply for the Heritage Property Tax Refund Program 

Other Incentives

Properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act will be provided with an aluminum plaque following Council’s adoption of the designation by-law to publicly recognize the heritage value of their property.

Heritage Permits

A Heritage Permit is required to undertake changes to properties designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act that will affect the property’s identified heritage attributes as described in the designating by-law. You are required to submit a Heritage Permit Application for any plans to make alterations to a designated heritage property. You may be required to submit an Impact Assessment and additional supporting information as part of your application. Please contact the Town's Manager of Heritage Planner to determine whether or not a pre-consultation is appropriate for your application. Pre-consultation is free and staff are very willing to discuss your plans, provide advice and assist where they can.

A Heritage Permit is also required to undertake changes to properties located within a Heritage Conservation District designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, apart from minor alterations or those alterations identified within a Heritage Conservation District as not requiring a Heritage Permit.

Heritage Permits are not required for alterations to properties that are listed on the Town's Heritage Register. Owners of listed properties are encouraged to discuss their plans for alterations with the Town's Manager of Heritage Planner for advice and assistance. An owner must give Council at least 60 days' notice of their intention to demolish or remove a structure on a listed property.

Heritage permit applications are reviewed by the Town's Manager of Heritage Planner and Heritage Halton Hills at monthly meetings. An application form is available on request.

Heritage Halton Hills Committee

The Heritage Halton Hills Committee is the Town of Halton Hills' Municipal Heritage Committee that provides advice to Council on matters identified in the Ontario Heritage Act. Heritage Halton Hills is an advisory committee comprised of members of the public appointed by Council and is chaired by a member of Council. Members have diverse interests and skills and share an enthusiasm for preserving the Town’s cultural heritage resources.

Heritage Halton Hills assists Council in making decisions on matters that relate to properties that have been listed on the Town’s Heritage Register or designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Heritage Halton Hills also promotes heritage conservation awareness and education within the community.

Upcoming Meetings

Heritage Property Grant Program Guidelines

Application deadline is June 1st annually.

• Owners of properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act can receive grants from the Town of Halton Hills toward the conservation and restoration of the heritage features of the designated properties.

• Grants are administered through Heritage Halton Hills and if approved, are given to a maximum of $3,000 per application provided this is matched by an equal amount from the property owner.

• This program is dependent on the funding available. The actual amount of matching grants may fluctuate year to year as a result.

• All Grant funded work must be completed within 12 months. A single 6 month extension may be given upon written request and committee approval.

• New Grant Applications will not be accepted until all previously approved Grant funded projects for that property have been completed and approved.

Definitions

• Applicant - the owner of the property applying for the grant, or their agent, if the agent is authorized in writing by the owner to act as agent.

• Town - The Corporation of the Town of Halton Hills.

• Designated Heritage Property - real property (and includes all buildings, structures and landscape elements thereon) that are designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

• Heritage Attributes - the principal features, characteristics, context and appearance that contribute to the cultural heritage value of a designated heritage property.

• Maintenance - the routine, cyclical, non-destructive actions necessary to slow the deterioration of an historic place. It entails: periodic inspection; routine, cyclical, non-destructive cleaning; minor repair and refinishing operations.

• Conservation - the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property.

• Restoration - the the process of accurately revealing, recovering, replicating or representing the state of a heritage attribute at a particular period in its history, while protecting the cultural heritage value of the property.

Applications are reviewed and formally approved by Town Staff in consultation with Heritage Halton Hills. Work conducted with the assistance of grant funding is monitored by Town Staff in consultation with Heritage Halton Hills.

Grant funds are paid out by Heritage Halton Hills to the Designated Property Owner on the basis of receipts for the actual project cost(s) and a review of the completed work. 

Grant Amount

The grant given is a maximum of $3,000 and is dependent on the funding available. It must be matched by an equal contribution from the owner or any other source.

Frequency of Grant

A property may receive one grant per calendar year, providing funding is available. However, as per HERITAGE-2017-0007, new applications cannot be submitted until the previously approved project is completed and signed off.

Eligible Properties

To be eligible, a property must be:

• located within the Town of Halton Hills; and
• designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, wherein the designation by-law has been registered on title; or 
• situated within a Heritage Conservation District designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Please note that the property cannot be in tax arrears or subject to compliance and enforcement orders issued under property standards and maintenance by-laws, the Ontario Fire Code and the like.

Designated heritage properties owned by any level of government are not eligible, except where a nonprofit, community group has assumed responsibility for maintenance of the property by long-term lease or legal agreement. In such cases, that organization may make an application.

Eligible Projects

Any new work that directly and appropriately conserves, restores and/or enhances heritage attributes is deemed eligible. Eligible work includes the costs of labour, materials and equipment. The grant is based on the owner's actual expenditures as verified by invoices and receipts. Donated labour and materials are not considered part of the project costs. Eligible projects fall into three general categories:

1. Conservation

   • Any new work that directly and appropriately preserves, restores, and/or enhances heritage attributes. This would include, for instance, repair of deteriorated original elements such as doors and windows, siding and roofing materials, and other significant features.

2. Reconstruction

   • Work that involves the reconstruction of heritage attributes which still exist, but which are beyond conservation or repair. This would include only ACCURATE reconstructions of the original features, using materials, sizes and configurations which match the original.

3. Restoration

   • Work that involves the restoration of heritage attributes which have been lost, but for which the appearance can be clearly determined from documentary sources. These sources must relate to the particular property for which funding is requested, not simply to similar properties in the neighbourhood. The documentation should be in the form of historic drawings or photographs clearly showing the feature(s) to be restored.

   • Restoration is appropriate when the significance of the property during a particular period in its history far outweighs the potential loss of existing materials, spaces, finishes and other attributes

   • The work must be completed according to accepted standards of heritage conservation, as identified in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada

Please note that a Heritage Permit may also be required for the conservation and restoration work.

Poor or defective work is not eligible. Unsatisfactory work includes minor items which can be corrected (such as paint dribbled onto adjacent surfaces) as well as major problems (such as an entire paint job which fails because of inadequate surface preparation, or masonry joints which have been cut out using power tools).

In order to achieve acceptable projects, work undertaken on historic buildings requires care and often involves specialized materials and techniques.

Examples of Eligible Work

The following is a list of typical conservation projects that would be considered for funding. It is not an exhaustive list but intended to be used as a guide for what would be considered eligible

• Architectural and engineering services, feasibility studies, preparation of drawings (Note: only applicable to designated heritage properties managed by not-for-profit community groups).

• Repair, reconstruction, and/or restoration of architectural elements such as porches, verandahs, cupolas, columns, brackets, soffits, railings and fascia. Please note that repairs to the ironwork of the houses in Syndicate Housing Heritage Conservation District shall be in accordance with the recommendations contained in the “Building Condition Review” dated October 2012 by ERA Architects Inc.

• Repair, reconstruction and/or restoration of exterior cladding such as clapboard, wood shingles, pebbledash stucco, board and batten.

• Repair, reconstruction or restoration of wooden windows. Aluminum storms and windows which are vinyl, aluminum, or PVC clad will not be eligible for a grant.

• Repair, reconstruction, or restoration of original exterior doors.

• Repair, reconstruction, or restoration of wooded storm and screen windows where documentation verifies the use of storms and screens.

• Repair, reconstruction, and/or restoration of original chimneys.

• Conserve or replace original roofing materials and flashing. Roofing may include the repair or replacement of the roof deck with matching materials to the original.

• Repair, reconstruction, and/or restoration of interior heritage attributes, features, materials and finishes that are identified in the heritage designation by-law.

• Repair, reconstruction, and/or restoration of masonry and stonework. Please note that repairs to the masonry of the houses in Syndicate Housing Heritage Conservation District shall be in accordance with the recommendations contained in the “Building Condition Review” dated October 2012 by ERA Architects Inc.

• Cleaning of masonry and stone (if deemed necessary and if using non-destructive cleaning methods); chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

• Repairs deemed critical to the stabilization and preservation of the property.

• Removal of inappropriate modern materials such as insulbrick and vinyl or metal siding.

• Introduction of an exterior period paint colour scheme. Please note that painting/mineral coating of the black bricks on the houses in Syndicate Housing Heritage Conservation District shall be in accordance with the recommendations contained in the “Building Condition Review” dated October 2012 by ERA Architects Inc.

• Repair, reconstruction, and/or restoration of fences and outbuildings only if they are specifically referenced as a heritage attribute in the designation by-law.

Please note that a Heritage Permit may also be required for the proposed work.

Examples of Ineligible Work

• Any work completed or started before committee approval.

• Projects that do not contribute to the conservation of heritage attributes of the property, such as the introduction of new features or additions.

• Aluminum storms and windows which are vinyl, aluminum, or PVC clad.

• Repairs and upgrades ordered as a result of non-compliance with property standards by-laws and other applicable by-laws, regulations and legislation.

• Minor repairs; routine household maintenance such as repairing a broken step or a broken window), painting (other than as specified below) and repair of non-original siding or roofing materials (aluminium siding, asphalt shingles, etc.).

• Re-insulating, installation of new heating or cooling systems or other energy efficiency upgrades.

• Driveway paving and repairs.

• Exterior painting not based on historical research and not using appropriate period paint colour schemes.

The final determination of what constitutes eligible and in-eligible conservation work is at the discretion of Town Staff and Heritage Halton Hills. Work conducted with the assistance of grant funding is monitored by Town Staff in consultation with Heritage Halton Hills.

Heritage Conservation Award

The Town of Halton Hills' Heritage Conservation Award is presented annually by Halton Hills Council upon the recommendation of Heritage Halton Hills, the Town’s Municipal Heritage Committee. This award acknowledges significant contributions to the conservation of the Town’s cultural heritage resources through preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration. Each year, Heritage Halton Hills may nominate one or more individual groups or organizations that demonstrate excellence in the conservation of a cultural heritage resource and recognize this local achievement.

The Town of Halton Hills is committed to the identification, conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage resources, as identified under the goals within the Official Plan. One of Heritage Halton Hills’ identified goals and objectives is to sponsor or participate in programs that honour individuals who have contributed to heritage conservation in the Town of Halton Hills. Heritage Halton Hills plays a vital role in promoting the community benefits of conservation and in celebrating the Town’s unique local history.

Application Criteria

Applications are accepted year-round in the following three categories of heritage conservation, as defined by Parks Canada’s Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada:

• Preservation

  • The action or process of protecting, maintaining, and/or stabilizing the existing materials, form, and integrity of a historic place or of an individual component, while protecting its heritage value.

• Restoration

  • The action or process of accurately revealing, recovering or representing the state of a historic place of an individual component, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.

• Rehabilitation

  • The action or process of making possible a continuing or compatible contemporary use of a historic place or an individual component, while protecting its heritage value.

The subject property must be located within the boundaries of the Town of Halton Hills. Applications may be submitted by any resident, property owner, or project associate within the Town of Halton Hills.

• Projects completed in the last 3 years are eligible for nomination. 

• A property that was awarded in prior years may submit an application for new conservation work that must be unrelated to the work completed previously.

Nomination Process

An individual, group or organization may nominate one project per year. Nominations must be submitted to the Manager of Heritage Planner at the Town of Halton Hills by December 31 of each year using the available nomination form below.

1. Every section on the nomination form must be completed in full.

2. Nomination must be received no later than December 31 of each year.

Submit a Nomination Form

Notification and Presentation

Heritage Halton Hills will consider nominations during their first available meeting of the new year. All nominators will receive written acknowledgement of their nomination and recommendations by the Town’s Manager of Heritage Planner following this meeting.

The successful recipient(s) of the Town of Halton Hills’ Heritage Conservation Award will be advised of their achievement and invited to receive their award at Council. A Heritage Conservation Award certificate will be presented by the Mayor and the Chair of Heritage Halton Hills or their representatives at the next available Council meeting.

For more information please contact Laura Loney, Manager of Heritage Planner for the Town of Halton Hills.