What is a Heritage Conservation District - HCD ?

The Ontario Heritage Act plays an important role in enabling a municipality to designate an area within that municipaity as a Heritage Conservation District.

This allows City Council to protect and enhance the special character of groups of properties in an area. This area can be either residential or commercial in nature. The character is established by the overall heritage quality of buildings, streets and open spaces as seen together.

How is a Heritage Conservation Application Funded?

In general, the City Council does not fund projects whose purpose is to obtain designation of a specific region of the City as a Heritage Conservation District. Essential to the process is a study or plan for the area, which provides background to the historical, architectural and character defining features that make the area special.

The local community is encouraged to participate in this process. In point of fact, there is an unspoken but implicit assumption that they will arrange or otherwise provide the funds for the entirety of the project. Heritage Preservation Services staff will assist the Project by advising on matters of process. They do not underwrite or contribute to the funding of the study.

Recently, the Board of the Baby Point Preservation Foundation (BPHF) has learned through the good offices of the new Councillor for Ward 13, Sarah Doucette, that a relatively unknown amendment to the City of Toronto Planning Act - Section #7, passed in July 2008, may offer an avenue by which public funds may accrue to Heritage Conservation District planning activities.

The Foundation is actively pursuing this option, which if successful would provide a substantial portion of the $40,000 to $50,000 in funds required to bring the project to the final stage of presentation to the Preservation Services Department for formal consideration.