Responding to Bill 108

AUTHOR: Architectural Conservancy Ontario

DATE: May 21, 2019

The Government of Ontario has proposed changes to the Ontario Heritage Act through Bill 108. To help you respond to the call for comments from the Provincial Government, ACO's Policy Committee has put together an overview of what the proposed amendments will mean, as well as a detailed analysis attached below.

NEWS DESCRIPTION:We Need Your Help
 
The Ontario Government wants to change the Ontario Heritage Act. We need to speak out against this flawed proposal right away. 

• It would take away local communities' right to say what is important to them, what parts of the past the community values and wishes to pass on to future generations. 

• It would give this authority to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT), who can undo the work of democratically elected councils — and the Municipal Heritage Committees and trained heritage planning staff who support them. LPAT will have the final say on approving, revoking or amending heritage protection bylaws. 

• Compounding the problem: No current LPAT members have any background in heritage. Nor are they required to have heritage expertise or an understanding of the values of the community they are judging. 

• We don't need this radical departure. The current regulations 9/06 and 10/06 work.They provide criteria that help ensure communities are objective and consistent across Ontario. The specialist Conservation Review Board (CRB) reviews municipalities' work and provides an expeditious, low-cost alternative to lengthy LPAT appeals.Don't change a rule book that's working.

• What's the rush? Take time to properly consult with the heritage and municipal sectors and get this right. Take Schedule 11, Ontario Heritage Act, out of Bill 108.

• Review an unofficial blacklined version of the Ontario Heritage Act, with the proposed amendments, prepared by Osler Hoskin Harcourt LLP.

• Leave an officially registered comment through the online consultation of the Environmental Registry of Ontario.Go to https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-0021 But hurry! This consultation period ends on June 1.

• Express your concern about these arbitrarily imposed changes to the Ontario Heritage Act to your local MPP. Check https://www.ola.org/en/get-involved/contact-mpp for contact information.

• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.