Four County Properties Gain Heritage Protection as Provincial Deadline Nears

Date: April 30, 2024

As a key provincial deadline approaches, Prince Edward County has added four more historically significant properties to its list of fully protected heritage sites, safeguarding them from potential demolition.

Municipalities across Ontario are working quickly to secure heritage designations before the end of 2024, when changes introduced by the province will remove protection from many historically listed but not designated properties.

On Tuesday, April 30, the County formally recognized four property owners who voluntarily chose to designate their buildings under the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The designations were approved by County Council earlier this year.

The newly designated properties are:

• Church House (1838) at 1676 County Road 13

• Joseph Clapp House (1840) at 1327 Royal Road

• Cooper House at 89 Colliers Road

• Welbanks House at 1972 County Road 13

Mayor Steve Ferguson presented heritage designation certificates at Shire Hall, commending owners for taking steps to preserve the County’s architectural and cultural legacy.

Why the Deadline Matters

Under Bill 23 - the More Homes Built Faster Act, passed in 2022, municipalities must decide by year-end which listed heritage properties will receive full designation. Any properties that remain merely “listed” after the deadline will lose protection and may be demolished without municipal oversight.

Once removed from the heritage register, properties cannot be re-listed for five years and would face more stringent criteria if re-evaluated.

Currently, the County has 95 fully designated heritage properties, but more than 200 additional buildings remain on the non-designated heritage inventory and could lose protection if owners do not participate in the designation process.

Listed properties, by contrast, are only subject to a 60-day demolition notice.

What Designation Means for Owners

Heritage designation is intended to guide change not prevent it. Each property is governed by a designation bylaw that outlines which heritage features are protected, most often limited to the building’s exterior. Owners must obtain a heritage permit before altering those features.

The four properties recognized this week are the first to complete the process through the County’s ongoing Heritage Designation Project. The Heritage Designation Working Group has contacted all owners of listed properties to gauge interest and encourage participation.

A second public information session for property owners is scheduled for Saturday, May 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Macaulay Museum in Picton.

---