The clock is ticking for some Windsor heritage buildings set to fall off protection registry
CBC
Right now, more than 1,200 culturally significant buildings in Windsor are protected by the city's heritage registry.
But the clock is ticking for many, and the majority may not be protected for much longer.
A provision of the 2022 More Homes Built Faster Act means that 884 buildings deemed will be removed from the city's heritage registry.
In effect, it removes the only protection these buildings have from demolition.
"A significant change to the Ontario Heritage Act requires that properties 'listed' on a Municipal Heritage Register be removed from the register if council does not issue a notice of intention to designate the property by Jan. 1, 2025," staff said in a report to the city's development and heritage committee on Tuesday night.
"Once removed, the property cannot be 'listed' again on the register for a period of five years."
The provision does not affect designated heritage buildings. Instead, it applies to heritage "listed" buildings. Listed buildings cannot be demolished but have not been officially designated as heritage properties.
Windsor city staff told committee members they understand the move as a way to remove red tape on properties that might sit on a heritage list for years. the buildings won't be protected from demolition, they noted.
It also means the city now needs to look at a suite of strategies, presented by staff, to take action on the hundreds of buildings listed on the heritage registry.
Coun. Fred Francis, who sits on the heritage committee, said it was "frustrating" as an elected official.
"When I read this, it literally comes to the differing priorities between the province and in this case, the city, with respect to what is being asked for us: a rush to build, build, build.
"But now we have... make sure that we're not destroying any heritage properties that we don't want to destroy.
"I just wonder (if) in … 10 years from now, 15 years from now we wish we may have slammed the brakes on a little bit earlier. That's my concern."
Coun. Kieran McKenzie said the province needed to be made aware of the issue now facing Windsor and the province's other municipalities.
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