Disastrous Effect of Bill 23 on Heritage: Message from George Kettel of Toronto

The following message is from George Kettel.

The message includes “a commentary on Bill 23 by the legal firm Aird Berlis (refer to the section on the Ontario Heritage Act)”:

AIRD BERLIS BILL 23 COMMENTS 221027

Hello all –

The Ontario government’s omnibus legislation Bill 23 contains a number of proposed changes that are extremely detrimental to heritage preservation. The most serious change will ensure that all listed buildings on the municipal heritage registry that are not officially designated will no longer have listed status (ie., protection from demolition for 90 days) after two years, unless they are designated within that period. This is a total disaster for the Heritage Register and for our attempts to protect heritage properties. For your information, We’ve attached a commentary on Bill 23 by the legal firm Aird Berlis (refer to the section on the Ontario Heritage Act).

At next Monday’s Toronto Preservation Board (TPB) meeting, Mary MacDonald will give a presentation on the impact of Bill 23, focussing on the problems created for the Heritage Register. We strongly urge you to watch this presentation and encourage others interested in heritage to do so! The TPB meeting will be streamed live on Webex starting at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, November 7. Mary’s presentation does not appear as an agenda item, but will be introduced as new business by the Chair at the start of the meeting. It would be preferable to tune in at 9:30am and as there are only three items on the agenda, Mary’s presentation is expected to occur no later than 10:30am.

The following is a link to the meeting agenda –

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/decisionBodyProfile.do?function=doPrepare&decisionBodyId=1899#Meeting-2022.PB39

The Webex link required to join the meeting is given in the coloured box. You can sign in as a guest.

Because it is a public meeting, the public watching on Webex can record the meeting.

Bill 23 has been sent to a Standing Committee of the Legislature to receive comments from the public and recommend any amendments. To find where to send requests to speak before the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy on November 17, or to submit written submissions regarding Bill 23, you should go to:
https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/heritage-infrastructu
re-cultural-policy/parliament-43/notice-hearings/2022-nov-17-notice-hearings
-standing-committee-heritage-infrastructure-cultural-policy

Also, here is the link to the Environmental Registry Ontario website to make comments to the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.

https://ero.ontario.ca/index.php/notice/019-6196

Comments may be submitted up to the end of November 24. At our next Panel meeting, we can discuss the Panel’s submission of comments.
(Culture has been shifted to the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism whose Minister is Michael Ford MPP.)

Alex and Geoff