Recent decisions and…

Recent decisions and recommendations made at the Toronto Preservation Board have called into question the integrity of the board, and have compromised its position as an independent body that assesses proposed heritage designations purely on the basis of the significance of the property. Statements made by board members at recent hearings about affording city staff the ability to negotiate development applications were shocking.
The decision by the province to remove this weaponization tactic from this independent board should help it to regain some of its independence and integrity. And city staff within the heritage department will be forced to study the proposed designations in appropriate detail without bias, understanding that anything less can and will be challenged before a body that can enforce its decision. Balance and fairness was missing in this process and this amendment will go a long way to seeking to regain that balance.