Item - 2020.PB18.7

The Toronto Preservation Board directed that the recommendations contained in the Letter (September 26, 2020) from Elizabeth Sisam, Working Group Member be forwarded to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning for consideration and further discussion, and for a report back to the Toronto Preservation Board.

In her presentation of December 2, 2019, the Senior Manager Heritage Planning invited the Toronto Preservation Board to make recommendations about improvements to the advisory capacity and more timely input of Board members. The presentation also included discussion about the significant impact of Bill 108 as it affects heritage decision making.

Since that meeting, board members have written to the Chair of the Board with thoughts and suggestions. At the January 27, 2020 meeting of the Board, a working group comprising five members of the Toronto Preservation Board and one staff member from Heritage Planning was struck to discuss the issues and suggestions and make recommendations that would address these concerns.

The working group met several times over a seven month period, consulted with heritage consultants and other professionals and discussed the thoughts and suggestions outlined in the letter from the Chair of the Toronto Preservation Board dated January 20, 2020. (attached)

Four critical concerns are detailed in the report which must be addressed to ensure preservation of the city’s cultural heritage landscape:

• Minimal participation by heritage professionals during early project discussions and peer project reviews
• Narrow focus on project review limiting discussion of heritage and the cultural landscape Incomplete and graphically poor project information provided to the Toronto Preservation Board
•  Lack of opportunity for public comments and deputations

Immediate changes are necessary to strengthen heritage oversight of development proposals. Ideally these can occur within the current framework of the planning process and implemented within the statutory mandate of the Board not requiring Council approval. Inaction or lengthy delays in procedural approvals will result in a loss of heritage attributes and the cultural landscape in our city.