The Municipal Register is the official list of heritage properties that are regulated by the City under the authority of the Ontario Heritage Act. All properties that have been designated under the Heritage Act must be listed on the Register. The City can also list non-designated properties on the Register. The implications of being listed on the Register are discussed below.
The Register is divided into two sections. Section 1 contains properties that have been designated under the Heritage Act. Section 2 contains properties that are not designated but are believed to be of some cultural heritage value or interest. The different regulations applying to each section are explained in “About the Municipal Register” below.
The Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Resources (“the Register”) currently contains over 70 designated properties and over 175 non-designated properties. These properties are located throughout the City and may be publicly or privately owned. Listing a private property on the Register does not give the public permission to trespass on the property.
Designated properties: |
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Non-designated properties on the Register: |
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About Burlington’s Heritage Inventory |
The Inventory is no longer updated but continues to exist as an archival reference for staff and Heritage Burlington. Prior to the existence of the Municipal Register, heritage properties were identified on an Inventory that was maintained by a citizen committee called LACAC (Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee). LACAC was the predecessor of the current municipal heritage committee, Heritage Burlington. Properties on the Inventory were assigned a “heritage grade” of A, B, C, or D based on their perceived level of heritage value. The highest grade was A and the lowest grade was D. At its height, the Inventory listed over 1200 properties. Unlike the Municipal Register, the Inventory only provided recognition of heritage value; it had no regulatory authority to require the conservation of properties listed thereon. No new properties have been added to the Inventory since it was last endorsed by Council in 2001. In 2008, all of the properties that had been graded “A” on the Inventory were added to the Register by City Council. City Council has approved a recommendation by Heritage Burlington to study all of the remaining Inventory properties (grades B, C, and D) to determine which, if any, should be added to the Register. This study has not yet been completed. |
About Heritage Conservation Districts |
There are currently no heritage conservation districts in Burlington. A Heritage Conservation District (HCD) is a tool that a municipality can use to protect the heritage character of a defined geographical area, such as a neighbourhood or a main street. District designation allows the municipality to manage and guide change in the HCD by adopting a District Plan with policies and guidelines for conservation, protection, and enhancement of the area’s special character. A District Plan may go beyond protecting individual buildings to also protect streets, landscapes, and important vistas or views. The District Plan is customized to the specific district, so every HCD is subject to a unique set of policies and guidelines to fit the objectives of the District Plan. |
Contact the Heritage Planner at 905-335-7600, ext. 7929 or heritage@burlington.ca.
If you would like to receive a written letter formally confirming the heritage status of a specific property, please apply for a Property Information Report, making sure to include Planning Department services in your request. For more information on Property Information reports, contact Service Burlington at 905-335-7803 or city@burlington.ca.