Heritage Planning

Cultural Heritage Planning

Welcome! Our municipality celebrates and is defined by our extensive cultural heritage. In order to conserve our cultural heritage, we have a Heritage Permit system in place to ensure proposed alterations to designated heritage properties enhance and conserve the cultural heritage value of the property. This webpage contains information for current and future owners of heritage properties and for anyone with a general interest in heritage matters.

A Heritage Permit is required when the owner of a designated property wants to alter the exterior of a building designated under Part V (conservation district) or the designated portions of a building designated under Part IV (individual) of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Owners of designated properties should check with planning Staff to confirm whether their property is designated and if the work they are proposing to do requires a Heritage Permit.

Section 27 of the Ontario Heritage Act requires municipalities to maintain a Municipal Register of properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Register can also include non-designated properties of Cultural Heritage value or interest. The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Municipal Register contains both Part IV and V designated properties as well as listed, non-designated properties.
- Municipal Register of Properties of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest.
Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act applies to those properties that are individually designated. Properties designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act may have both interior and exterior elements listed as protected heritage attributes. Alterations to properties designated under Part IV of the OHA that are likely to impact the protected heritage attributes require the consent of Council and a Heritage Permit. These properties have an associated Designating By-law that notes the heritage significance of the property and protected heritage attributes.
Prior to making alterations to a Part IV designated property please contact Community and Development Services to ensure the alterations will not impact the designated features. Designating By-laws for these properties are registered on title but you may also request a copy of a Designating By-law from the Community and Development Services Department. A list of Part IV designated properties is available on the Town’s Municipal Register.
Properties designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act are those properties that are part of a Heritage Conservation District. The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has one Heritage Conservation District, the Queen-Picton Heritage Conservation District, which was approved in 1986. In general, any alterations to these properties or the exterior of structures on the property require the consent of Council and a heritage permit. However, a property can be designated under both Part IV and V and therefore may also have interior designated features. Alterations in the Heritage Conservation District are guided by the Queen-Picton Heritage Conservation District Plan (District Plan). The District Plan sets out the goals of the Heritage Conservation District as well as policies for alterations.
The map below shows the extent of the Queen-Picton Heritage Conservation District shaded in gray. If a property falls within the shaded area it is designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act and Heritage Permits are required for alterations other than minor repairs. Please consult the Heritage Conservation District Plan when considering alterations to a property in the Queen-Picton Heritage Conservation District:
- Heritage Conservation District Plan (PDF)
A list of works that do not require a Heritage Permit in Queen-Picton Heritage Conservation District unless a Designation By-law specifies otherwise can be found in By-law 4362-10. If you are unsure whether a heritage permit is required, please contact Community and Development Services Department to confirm prior to undertaking alterations.
- By-law 4362-10 (PDF)
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The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is defined by its extensive cultural heritage resources. The Town has a rich history that can be understood and interpreted through its built heritage structures that are found throughout the municipality. To celebrate and preserve that history, Town Staff are working towards designating heritage properties throughout the municipality.
Staff have developed a phased approach for designation of heritage properties as outlined in the reports below:

Applications

Alterations (including new construction, re-construction, restoration, additions, demolition, etc) to heritage properties designated under Part IV and Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act generally requires a Heritage Permit. The Heritage Permit application is reviewed by heritage staff and the Municipal Heritage Committee with final approval by Council. Note that applications are reviewed on a monthly basis. The following schedule details Committee meeting dates and application deadlines.
- Heritage Permit Application (PDF)
If an alteration includes painting, please consult the list of approved paint colours.
- Heritage Approved Paint Colours (PDF).
Properties designated under Part IV or Part V (‘A’ and ‘B’ buildings only) of the Ontario Heritage Act are eligible for a heritage grant to maintain and restore the cultural heritage attributes of the property. The grant program covers 50% of the costs of a conservation project up to a maximum of $10,000 for a residentially zoned property or $15,000 for a commercial or industrial zoned property.
2022 Applications for heritage grants are currently being accepted for consideration. If funding remains after the first intake of applications there will be subsequent deadlines for heritage grant applications later in the year. Please be advised that a pre-consultation meeting with Heritage Staff is required prior to the deadline and submission of an application. Due to restricted public access to the administrative building at this time, please contact heritage.contract@notl.com for more information regarding application submission.
- Detailed information on the grant program is available in the Grant Program Information Package (PDF).
- Heritage Grant Program Application
- Heritage Grant Agreement
- Heritage Grant By-law 3989-05 (2005) and 3989-16 (2016)

Guidance Documents

In 2021, Town Council adopted a Terms of Reference for Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) and Cultural Heritage Evaluation Reports (CHER) Reports submitted to the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Interested in designating your property?

Designation under the Ontario Heritage Act ensures the continued conservation of our built cultural heritage, a fragile and non-renewable resource.

Requests for designation are reviewed by heritage staff and the Municipal Heritage Committee and approved by Council. Staff and the Committee collect as much documentation on the property as possible. The Committee makes a site visit to the property to determine and document features that contribute to its cultural heritage value.

If you are interested in designating your property under the Ontario Heritage Act, please contact Community and Development Services Staff for further information.

Niagara-on-the-Lake: A National Historic District

With the concerted efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers, Niagara-on-the-Lake became a designated National Historic District, the first in Ontario, in 2003. This honorary designation focuses on the collection of buildings that range in date from 1812 to 1850.

More information on this designation can be found on the Historic Places of Canada website.

The Municipal Heritage Committee

The Committee consists of nine volunteers in the Community with expertise in heritage-related fields. Committee members review heritage applications and provide advice to Council to ensure that the development of the property is compatible and sympathetic with the heritage goals and policies of the District Plan and best practices in heritage conservation. Committee members are appointed by Council for a term of 4 years. Details regarding the Committee, its members and Terms of Reference can be found on our Committees and Boards page.