The proposed changes to the…

The proposed changes to the Ontario Heritage Act will not result in more affordable housing being built, AND they will have a very negative impact on heritage conservation and attitudes about heritage, multiculturalism and citizenship in Ontario.

They should not be implemented as presented.

Most worrisome is the proposal to require that two criteria, instead of one, be met for designation to occur. This will practically ensure that no humble buildings and places associated with the historic contributions of Black, Indigenous, Franco-Ontarian, multicultural and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities can be protected.

Sites like the John Freeman Walls Underground Railroad Museum in Emeryville, the Portuguese Cultural Centre in Mississauga, Potters Field Burial Grounds in Owen Sound, Reggae Lane, Little Jamaica Toronto -- all very important to their local community -- could not be protected under the proposed new Ontario Heritage Act regulations.

This is shameful, coming on the heels of a strong movement within the heritage community to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Black Lives Matter movement, Canada's adoption of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, and other social trends, to broaden and diversify ideas and practice of heritage.

It is embarrassing to see backward step just as heritage moves under the wing of the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. What a slap in the face of Ontario's multicultural citizens!

Removing any protection from properties which the local community has taken the time to list as important enough to safeguard will not, in itself, create more housing, let alone more affordable housing.

On the contrary, one of the quickest ways to provide affordable housing is to adapt existing heritage buildings. There are many examples of heritage buildings making great affordable housing, e.g. Victoria School in Kitchener adapted to geared to income housing, Toronto's Cabbagetown Rooming Houses, Victorian rowhouses converted to 44 rental units, Windsor's Welcome Shelter for Women, a 1916 building converted into an emergency homelessness shelter for women, with or without children.

Instead of attacking heritage, Ontario should be incentivizing owners of heritage buildings to convert them to housing. This would produce great results, quickly.