Municipal Heritage Register Review

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, Council considered Staff Report No. DS-2024-0057  respecting the Municipal Heritage Register Review - Draft Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report and Preliminary Assessment of Listed Properties.  Council received the report and directed staff to report back to Council no later than Q2 of 2025, following the receipt and assessment of all Council and public comments, with recommendations on the designation of listed properties that incorporate considerations in addition to the minimum criteria established on the Ontario Heritage Act.  

A Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report was prepared by the Town’s heritage consultant, Giaimo and Associates, for properties on the Municipal Heritage Register. The evaluation used the criteria set out in Ontario Regulation 9/06 as follows:

1. The property has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.
2. The property has design value or physical value because it displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit.
3. The property has design value or physical value because it demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement.
4. The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.
5. The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture.
6. The property has historical value or associative value because it demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.
7. The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.
8. The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings.
9. The property has contextual value because it is a landmark.

On Sept. 10, 2025, Council received the Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report and approved actions to update the Municipal Heritage Register. This included direction to issue Notices of Intention to Designate for eight properties identified as meeting the criteria for long-term protection under the Ontario Heritage Act. Council resolved to remove 18 properties from the Municipal Heritage Register at that time.

On Oct. 22, 2025, Council considered a further staff report and resolved to remove a further 51 additional properties from the Municipal Heritage Register. Further, Council approved revised Terms of Reference for the Georgina Heritage Advisory Committee and provided direction to proceed with recruitment and appointment of committee members.

The recruitment process for the Heritage Advisory Committee is underway.  Once established, the Georgina Heritage Advisory Committee will carry out its mandate under the Terms of Reference to advise Council on Heritage planning matters in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act. Notices of Intent to designate the eight properties as directed by Council will proceed in early 2026. 

To ask questions and/or provide input, contact:

Tolek Makarewicz, Senior Policy Planner
tmakarewicz@georgina.ca
Cellular: 905-955-9423 | 905-476-4301, ext. 2297

To be put on a project mailing list to receive email updates and notifications, contact:

Anna Geniole, Planning Clerk
ageniole@georgina.ca
905-476-4301, ext. 2250

The consultant retained to complete the review is Giaimo + Associates Architects Inc., a consulting firm specializing in architecture and heritage preservation.

Council has directed that an ad hoc working group be established to assist Town staff and the Heritage Consultant in obtaining any necessary background information and historical/local context as part of the Town’s review and update of the Municipal Heritage Register.

The first Working Group meeting was held on July 16, 2024, at the Civic Centre. During the meeting, the Working Group reviewed a short list of properties and areas for which the Heritage Consultant required additional background information. Where available, information and/or direction was provided by the Working Group Members to the Heritage Consultant to supplement their research.

The Working Group is comprised of the following six (6) members:

• Allan Morton
• Deirdre Lawrence
• Karen Wolfe
• Paul Brady
• Terry Russell

Ad Hoc Working Group Terms of Reference

During the weeks of September 9 and 16, 2024, staff hosted a Public Open House. The Open House was held in the form of one-on-one virtual and in-person meetings between staff and residents.  The meetings included a brief presentation by staff followed by an opportunity for residents to ask questions and discuss the project.  In total, 20 meetings were held with residents looking to learn more about the project. 

In accordance with Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, the province initially imposed a deadline of Jan. 1, 2025 on municipalities to complete this review and have a new Heritage Register approved by Council. This deadline has since been extended to Jan.1, 2027.  Staff anticipate to complete this project sometime in the latter part of 2025. 

• Ontario Heritage Act
• O. Reg. 9/06: Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
• Ontario Heritage Trust
• Heritage Tools for Landowners, Municipalities and Communities
• Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report 

• Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report - Final (Aug. 26, 2025)
• Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report - Draft (Oct. 2, 2024)

Municipal Heritage Register

• Georgina Heritage Register (May 22, 2024)

Open House

• Heritage Register Review Open House Presentation

• Oct. 22, 2025 - Municipal Heritage Register Review - Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report
• Sept. 10, 2025 - Municipal Heritage Register Review - Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report
• Oct. 9, 2024 - Municipal Heritage Register Review - Draft CHER - DS-2024-0057.pdf 
• Oct. 9, 2024 - Attachment 1 - Public Comments Received.pdf
• Oct. 9, 2024 - Attachment 2 - Map Showing Listed Property Owner Position on Designation.pdf
• Oct. 9, 2024 - Attachment 3 - Section 8.8 of OP.pdf
• Oct. 9, 2024 - Attachment 4 - Jackson's Point Marine Railway.pdf
• Oct. 9, 2024 - Attachment 5 - Draft Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report.pdf
• Aug. 14, 2024 - Briefing Note - Municipal Heritage Register Review Update
• May 8, 2024 - Briefing Note – Municipal Heritage Register Update (May 8, 2024)
• Sept. 27, 2023 - Staff Report No. DS-2023-0074 – Response to various heritage-related matters and implications of Bill 23 – Ontario Heritage Act

A heritage register includes a list of properties within a municipality that have been identified as having potential cultural heritage significance (Listed properties), and those which have been confirmed to have cultural heritage value or interest and are protected through a designation bylaw (Designated properties).

A Designated property is recognized by the Town and the province as a property of cultural heritage significance. Designation gives special legal status through the enactment of a designation bylaw under Sections IV and V of the Ontario Heritage Act to protect the property's heritage attributes and its cultural heritage significance over time. Designation bylaw is registered on title of the subject property.

Listed (but not Designated) properties:

• Identified as containing some heritage significance.
• A Heritage Assessment has not been completed.
• Demolitions are subject to a 60-day notice to Council.

Designated properties:

• A Heritage Assessment has been completed.
• Cultural heritage value and interest has been determined and is identified in a designation bylaw registered on title.
• Alteration, additions and demolitions are subject to Council approval.

Properties can be designated to protect the following:

• Buildings and structures (e.g. houses and commercial buildings).
• Archaeological sites and ruins.
• Cultural heritage landscapes (e.g. parks and open space, gardens and natural landscapes).
• Cemeteries, monuments and infrastructure (e.g. bridges and walkways).

A heritage designation does not:

• Restrict the use of a property (under zoning).
• Prevent the redevelopment or alteration of a property.
• Generally include interior spaces, unless they are significant or rare.
• Impose restrictions, special obligations or additional expenses beyond those expected of a property owner.
• Restrict the choice of paint colours or the introduction of modern home elements.
• Require an owner to restore lost or damaged heritage features of a property.
• Does not permit public access to the property.

A heritage designation does:

• Provide clarity on the cultural importance of a given property, serving as a formal public recognition that a property has heritage value and is desirable to be protected.
• Give a property special legal status that is designed to protect cultural heritage resources located on the property.
• Require the owner to obtain approval from Council for any exterior alterations or additions. Interior alterations can be made without approval unless they impact an identified heritage attribute (this is rare).
• May require the owner to receive approval from Council for the demolition or removal of a building or structure on a designated property.