Heritage Designations

What is Heritage Designation?

Designation is the process described in the Ontario Heritage Act that recognizes and protects architecturally, historically and contextually significant resources. Designation safeguards the property from unsympathetic alterations, prevents demolition and entitles owners to available restoration funds.

Read the Property Owners Guide to Heritage Designations.

What are the advantages of designation?

Designation:

• Strengthens community identity
• Acknowledges our past while providing a link to the future
• Contributes to the local quality of life
• Conserves irreplaceable, highly visible resources
• Benefits economic sectors often leading the way in area renewal
• Promotes sound conservation practices
• Allows for grants, loans and tax credits (when available)
• Provides owners with a handsome slate plaque
• Communicates pride in our heritage

What are the obligations of designation?

Designation is not a restrictive measure. It simply provides a process that ensures changes respect the heritage value of the existing property.

Owners of designated properties are required to seek approval of municipal council, through Heritage Oshawa, for property alterations that affect the "reasons for designation." Designation does not prohibit alterations. In fact, alterations that restore heritage features of a property are encouraged.

Owners of designated properties are required to seek approval of municipal council, through Heritage Oshawa, to demolish a designated structure.

If an owner disagrees with a council decision regarding designation or alterations the owner may appeal to the Conservation Review Board.

• Owners of designated properties are not required to restore their buildings to original condition
• Owners are not required to open their property to the public
• Owners of designated properties are not expected to incur expenses beyond those of any other property owner

What are the "reasons for designation"?

The "reasons for designation" are set out in the designation report with a description of the significant architectural, historical and contextual features of the property that are to be protected and conserved.

What type of properties can be designated?

Heritage resources that can be designated include residential, commercial, industrial and institutional structures, streetscapes, landscapes, natural areas, cemeteries and burial places as well as archaeological sites.

How do I get my property designated?

Contact Heritage Oshawa. A written request will begin the process of designation.

How long does the designation process take?

Allow between three and six months for all steps to be completed.

What are the costs involved?

There are no fees involved with the designation process.

Are financial incentives available to designated property owners?

Grants, loans, and tax incentives applying only to designated properties become available periodically.

Will designation affect the land use or resale value of my property?

Although designation is registered on the title of property it neither restricts the sale of property or land use nor negatively affects resale value. In fact, a recent survey has shown that most designated properties performed better than average in the real estate marketplace.

Municipal Heritage Designation: The Process

1. A request to designate a property may come from an owner, interested party, Heritage Oshawa or from Council.
2. Heritage Oshawa ensures that the property is researched and evaluated.
3. If designation is warranted, a designation report, including the "Reasons for Designation", is prepared and a recommendation to designate is sent to Council through the Development Services Committee.
4. Council accepts or rejects Heritage Oshawa's recommendation.
5. If Council chooses to pursue designation a "Notice of Intention to Designate" will be published in the local newspaper. Property owners and the Ontario Heritage Trust will also be informed.
6. A thirty-day waiting period is permitted to receive objections.
7. Objections received will be resolved through hearings at the Conservation Review Board.
8. If no objections are received Council passes a by-law to designate.
9. Notices are issued to the owners, Ontario Heritage Trust and published in the local newspaper.
10. The designation is registered on the property title.
11. Plaques are attached to the building at a special event to mark the designation.
12. Any applications to alter elements mentioned in the Reasons to Designate will go through Heritage Oshawa.
13. Another valuable piece of our history will be preserved.

The designation process is public, with owners being notified of progress throughout and invited to give input at Heritage Oshawa, Development Services and Council meetings. It is not the responsibility of the owners to complete any steps and there are no fees involved.