WHEREAS amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act under the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 introduced timelines requiring municipalities to issue Notices of Int

WHEREAS amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act under the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 introduced timelines requiring municipalities to issue Notices of Intention to Designate for properties listed on municipal heritage registers as of December 31, 2022, originally requiring action by January 1, 2025; and WHEREAS the Province subsequently amended the legislation through the Homeowner Protection Act, 2024 to extend the deadline to January 1, 2027 in response to concerns raised by municipalities and heritage stakeholders; and WHEREAS municipalities require sufficient time and resources to undertake research, documentation, consultation, and evaluation to determine whether listed properties warrant designation under the Ontario Heritage Act; and WHEREAS the removal of listed properties from municipal heritage registers if the prescribed timelines are not met may place cultural heritage resources at increased risk of demolition or irreversible alteration before municipalities have the opportunity to properly evaluate their cultural heritage value or interest; and WHEREAS the Built & Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee and Heritage Designation Working Group are comprised of a handful of dedicated volunteers who are not able to review the current non-designated register containing over 200 properties on or before the deadline of January 1, 2027; and WHEREAS many municipalities, including the County of Prince Edward, do not have dedicated heritage planning staff and must rely on volunteer Heritage committee members or external heritage consultants to undertake the evaluations, which can result in additional financial and administrative pressures; and WHEREAS the Heritage Designation Working Group, heritage consultants or staff members would need to review the municipal heritage register, research the heritage value and interest of listed non-designated properties, contact owners of such properties, determine which properties should potentially be designated in accorda