Architectural Conservancy…

Architectural Conservancy Ontario (ACO), Ontario's lead non-governmental organization on built heritage and cultural heritage places, is very concerned about four changes proposed in Bill 185.

1) Limit third party appeals
2) Limit ability of municipalities to require pre-application consultations
3) Remove planning responsibilities from upper-tier municipalities
4) Exempt publicly-funded universities from the Planning Act and planning provisions of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 for university-led projects

ACO acknowledges the housing crisis is real, but ACO wants to ensure that the new housing Ontario is creating will endure. We want housing and communities that last.

The government’s moves, reflected in the proposals above, to shut-out or short-cut the consideration and approval of complex housing projects will unfortunately result in poorer quality applications, poorer quality housing, and poorer quality communities across Ontario. Not only will democratic decision-making suffer; all of us who live in Ontario risk a poorer quality built environment.

ACO therefore recommends that the proposed changes in 1) - 4) above be removed from Bill 185.

ACO is the largest heritage advocacy organization in Ontario with 16 branches across the province. Our objective is to promote the identification, conservation and reuse of buildings, structures, districts and landscapes of cultural heritage significance. Under our Keep, Fix and Reuse slogan, we advocate for socially and environmentally sustainable solutions for Ontario’s older building stock.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal.