The implications of Bill 23, also known as the More Homes Built Faster Act, which will see 19,000 new homes built in Cambridge by 2031 has no impact on the current plans for the Galt Core Heritage Conservation District.
Designating the Galt Core as a Heritage Conservation District means that the area will be protected by a by-law passed under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Part V indicates that “through the adoption of a district plan, guidelines and policies, a municipality is able to guide future change.”
In Ontario there are two phases that need to be completed to designate an HCD. The first is the study phase, which was completed in July 2021 in Galt, and the plan phase which was approved by council in Oct. 2021 and is currently underway.
“We’re still going ahead with the district designation, there’s no change at this point in time in regards to Bill 23,” Joan Jylanne, manager of policy planning for the City of Cambridge said.
“There was certainly concerns with some of the proposed changes and the speed of those changes. In general, Bill 23 is about trying to have housing happen very quickly.”
But just because there is no immediate impact by Bill 23 on the current plans, doesn’t mean the city is in the clear.
“Bill 23 reduces the protection of significant heritage properties,” Jylanne said.
“For over a decade we've had a heritage register; properties that are designated and properties that are listed but not designated yet. We have about 1,000 properties on the register. Roughly 335 of them are designated, 665 are listed.”
The intent of listing a property on the register is that if someone were to ask for a demolition permit, the city would have 60 days to determine to grant it, or begin the process of designation. It becomes a conversation about how important the resource is to the city and the community that it’s in.
However, the properties on the register aren't the only ones of importance to the city. Jylanne points out that there are several properties around the city that are significant that are not on it.
“There may be other properties not on the register that are more important to designate,” Jylanne said.
“The ones on the register aren't the only ones of interest and some may come off the list. Bill 23 is telling the municipality that if a property is just listed you have two years to decide whether you designate it. If the city decides not to, it comes off the list. If it’s taken off the list we lose that 60 days. So there’s pressure to look at listed properties.”
Reviewing upwards of 665 listed properties could become expensive. Before making a determination, the city would have to look into the cultural heritage value.
There's also concern that designating heritage properties will become increasingly difficult under Bill 23, but Jylanne says they'll have to wait and see what the legislation lays out.
Designating a district differs from the designation of an individual property. With a district it’s more about the context, exterior build and ensuring your protecting the overall character of the area. With individual buildings, it’s important that you identify heritage attributes specific to that property, Jylanne says.
Heritage designations aren’t about stopping development, but rather cautiously preserving the identity of the city and the communities within it.
“People like to live and film in our community because of the history and we want to protect that,” Jylanne said.
“The thing is, we want to have housing happen also, but within the context for our community.”
