The Ontario Heritage Act Turns 50! The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful

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On the occasion of our annual Bob & Mary Anne Phillips Memorial Lecture, Heritage Ottawa is pleased to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ontario Heritage Act with a panel presentation on the history, implementation and challenges associated with this seminal piece of legislation.

Fifty years ago, on March 5, 1975, after years of struggle at community and municipal levels, the Ontario Heritage Act was proclaimed, establishing the long sought-after legal process to protect local heritage in the province. The Act gave municipal councils the right to preserve properties and neighbourhoods valued for their cultural heritage significance. It also gave councils the power to delay and ultimately deny approvals for alteration or demolition of designated buildings. And to ensure public participation in the process, the Act provided for the creation of local heritage advisory committees.

But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Join our panel presentations to learn about the emergence of a conservation movement in Ottawa, the challenges of implementing the Act, and the examples that show its successes, and its weaknesses.

Photo: Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park / Wikimedia Creative Commons License