I have worked in the…

I have worked in the Heritage sector for nearly 15 years and strongly recommend that the government delete Schedule 11 from
Bill 108 for purposes of consulting with the heritage sector on proposed amendments. I have worked in private practice and for the province and have developed heritage policy for various municipalities, provincial agencies and organizations and have always prioritized input from affected stakeholders.

Updating legislation is critical and streamlining approval purposes is important. However, consultation with the sector is essential to ensure the amendments are sound and supported. There is no need to rush without meaningful
Consultation with the sector, including Indigenous communities.

Ontario's proposed changes to the Ontario Heritage Act contained in Schedule 11 of Bill 108 were developed without adequate participation of Ontario's cultural heritage sector and are badly flawed.

As such, I am requesting that Schedule 11 be withdrawn from the Bill and a targeted consultation process involving key stakeholders be undertaken to address improvements to the Ontario Heritage Act approval processes.