Schedule 6/ Bill 23…

Schedule 6/ Bill 23...Heritage Designation - Leave the criteria for heritage designation at one point as is now. With two points, the Act discriminates against those properties representing residents who are not of European descent. Identified Heritage will then fall into the category of white wealthy males. Are they the only ones that count in our history? Ordinary places belonging to those of lesser known backgrounds will be very difficult to advocate for heritage designation.
Heritage Conservation Districts...leave Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act as it is now. Those who want to add on to properties, change for additions, interior additions have been able to do so..additional housing opportunities have existed and managed.
Leave the register of listed buildings as is. Volunteers have spent hours and hours gathering and recording information on the properties and buildings..Proposed...moving the listed building from the register to heritage designation in two years and if it can't be done then off the properties go for five years or in many cases these valuable properties will be lost forever. If insisting that the property must be listed and designated in 2 years, then require this action from 2022/23 going forward. AND DON'T DESTROY THE EXISTING REGISTERS!
To improve if necessary understanding of heritage properties and developers' needs, then provision of education on the part of the municipality should be mandated. Work on developing inservice sessions/booklets in plain English spelling out time lines for approvals, meaning of designated/listed properties, where to find help. Encourage volunteers from Municipal Heritage Committees, Muncipal Staff and developers to work together to come up with a plan for heritage properties with good potential for reuse. Develop a memorandum of understanding so that all parties know what is expected and the direction to follow so that there are no surprise demands of the developer in the middle of the project.
Encourage re-use and fix of projects which can accommodate housing units and provide extra units on the property such as abandoned factories, warehouses, schools, churches, shopping plazas, malls,
Consider the carbon emissions before allowing demolition of buildings. Hence, promote fix and re-use materials of existing pre-1940's buildings which used old growth lumber, real clay bricks, and natural products. Avoid promoting the demolition of good old buildings and hence filling up our municipal landfill