Part 1: Heritage, Film Policy, and 2025 Conference Updates – 11/06/2024
- PECConnect
- Nov 6, 2024
- 4 min read
The Built and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee met virtually on November 6, 2024, for a meeting centered on heritage protection, future planning, and implementation work tied to the Wellington Heritage Conservation District. Early in the meeting, the chair acknowledged that several members would need to leave before adjournment, meaning quorum would eventually be lost. Because of this, the committee prioritized agenda items requiring formal recommendations or guest participation.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes.
The agenda and previous meeting minutes were approved without issue, and no pecuniary interests were declared. Despite the shortened timeline, the meeting covered several major topics affecting heritage planning, tourism, and future development across Prince Edward County.
Film Policy Raises Heritage Concerns
The most detailed discussion focused on a draft regional film policy connected to a Bay of Quinte initiative aimed at attracting more film and television productions to the region.
Committee members generally supported the economic and tourism opportunities tied to film production but expressed concern about how filming activities could impact heritage buildings, conservation districts, and designated properties throughout the County. Particular concern was raised about productions involving interior set dressing, temporary alterations, equipment installation, and fast-moving production schedules that may pressure staff approvals.
Members stressed that heritage properties are especially vulnerable during filming because original materials, finishes, and architectural features can be damaged if proper oversight is not in place. Several members called for stronger policy language, clearer definitions, and more direct coordination through municipal staff to ensure heritage considerations are reviewed consistently before filming is approved.
The committee agreed the policy should continue moving forward but only if stronger heritage safeguards are added. For residents and property owners, the discussion highlighted the challenge of balancing economic opportunities from film production with the need to protect historic buildings and cultural assets.
Prince Edward County Prepares for the 2025 Ontario Heritage Conference
Staff also provided a major update on plans to host the 2025 Ontario Heritage Conference in Prince Edward County next June.
The event is expected to bring roughly 200 heritage professionals, planners, architects, and conservation experts to the County for three days of programming spread across Picton, Base31, and several rural heritage locations. Staff explained that conference themes will include adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, Indigenous heritage, public art, and community-based heritage planning.
Committee members highlighted the opportunity to showcase Prince Edward County’s heritage assets and restoration projects to a provincial audience. Staff also noted the economic benefits expected from the conference, including increased business for hotels, restaurants, tourism operators, and local attractions.
The committee expressed strong support for the conference and viewed it as an opportunity to strengthen the County’s reputation as a leader in heritage conservation and adaptive reuse.
Heritage Designation Approved for Loyalist Parkway Property
The committee reviewed and approved a recommendation to designate a property at 17811 Loyalist Parkway under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
During the review, members identified several small factual corrections in the supporting materials. Staff confirmed the issues were administrative and could be corrected before the recommendation moves forward to Council.
The designation itself received support from the committee without significant debate. For residents, the designation would place future demolition requests and exterior alterations under formal heritage review and provide additional protection for the property moving forward.
Wellington Heritage Conservation District Now in Force
Staff confirmed that the Wellington Heritage Conservation District is now officially in force following resolution of the Ontario Land Tribunal appeal process. Implementation work is already underway, including notifying property owners, registering district status on property titles, and planning future heritage district signage for both Wellington and Picton.
Committee members agreed more research is needed before final decisions are made on signage design, materials, and placement. Several members emphasized that any signage should reflect the County’s heritage character while remaining durable and visually appropriate.
For residents within the district, the update means heritage review rules are now fully active and will increasingly shape future renovations, demolitions, and development proposals within district boundaries.
Meeting Ends Early After Quorum Is Lost
As expected at the start of the meeting, several members departed before the agenda was fully completed, resulting in the loss of quorum later in the session. Remaining agenda items were deferred to the next committee meeting scheduled for December 11, 2024, which will be held in person at Shire Hall.
The early adjournment highlighted some of the scheduling and attendance challenges facing advisory committees, particularly during virtual meetings where participation can be harder to maintain over longer agendas.
Overall Takeaway
Overall, the meeting reflected a heritage committee increasingly focused on balancing heritage conservation with tourism growth, film production, development pressure, and community planning.
Discussions around the film policy, conference planning, heritage designation, and conservation district implementation all pointed toward a growing recognition that heritage protection in Prince Edward County is becoming more active, more visible, and more closely connected to broader economic and planning decisions across the municipality.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 54:38. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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