Item - 2026.PH32.13

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 32 Bright Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 32 Bright Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (June 15, 2026) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the Bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 32 Bright Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of heritage attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 32 Bright Street, known as Costigan Cottage, is located on the west side of Bright Street, between King Street East and Queen Street East, within the Corktown neighbourhood of Toronto. It contains a detached, single-storey wood-frame worker's cottage constructed c. 1862. The property was home to the Costigan family from its earliest period of occupation until c.1928 and is among the oldest residential properties on Bright Street and within the Corktown neighbourhood. The house is a rare surviving example of the modest worker's cottage typology, predating the two-storey bay-and-gable rowhouses that were constructed on Bright Street in the 1870s and 1880s. It forms part of the historic streetscape of Bright Street, comprised primarily of residential house form buildings constructed in the mid- to late 19th century. Costigan Cottage serves as a physical reminder of Corktown's working class history.

A location map and current photograph of the heritage property are included in Attachment 2.

The subject property at 32 Bright Street was listed on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register following its identification through a Cultural Heritage Resources Assessment as part of the King-Parliament Secondary Plan review on December 16, 17, and 18, 2020.

This property is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties citywide which have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of the Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and its ongoing prioritization strategy for listed properties that must be designated or removed from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027.

Part of the strategy for the review of listed properties on the Heritage Register includes the procurement of qualified heritage consultants to research, evaluate, and prepare heritage evaluation reports for a subset of listed properties prioritized for designation. City Planning retained the services of Alex Corey Heritage Consulting ("the Consultant") to research and evaluate a citywide group of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties which includes the subject property at 32 Bright Street. The Consultant evaluated the subject property and determined that it meets the provincial criteria.

The Consultant's research on the subject property is included in Attachment 3 of this report. The research, analysis, and evaluation contained within Attachment 3 reflect the Consultant's professional expertise and opinion. Staff have independently reviewed the Consultant's research and heritage evaluation and concur with the determination that the property at 32 Bright Street has cultural heritage value and meets four of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

At its meeting on July 6, 2026 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB46.5 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (June 15, 2026) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 32 Bright Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance which includes a description of heritage attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject property at 32 Bright Street, known as Costigan Cottage, is located on the west side of Bright Street, between King Street East and Queen Street East, within the Corktown neighbourhood of Toronto. It contains a detached, single-storey wood-frame worker's cottage constructed c. 1862. The property was home to the Costigan family from its earliest period of occupation until c.1928 and is among the oldest residential properties on Bright Street and within the Corktown neighbourhood. The house is a rare surviving example of the modest worker's cottage typology, predating the two-storey bay-and-gable rowhouses that were constructed on Bright Street in the 1870s and 1880s. It forms part of the historic streetscape of Bright Street, comprised primarily of residential house form buildings constructed in the mid- to late 19th century. Costigan Cottage serves as a physical reminder of Corktown's working class history.

A location map and current photograph of the heritage property are included in Attachment 2.

The subject property at 32 Bright Street was listed on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register following its identification through a Cultural Heritage Resources Assessment as part of the King-Parliament Secondary Plan review on December 16, 17, and 18, 2020.

This property is one of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties citywide which have been identified as candidates for designation through the City's implementation of the Bill 23 amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act and its ongoing prioritization strategy for listed properties that must be designated or removed from the Heritage Register by January 1, 2027.

Part of the strategy for the review of listed properties on the Heritage Register includes the procurement of qualified heritage consultants to research, evaluate, and prepare heritage evaluation reports for a subset of listed properties prioritized for designation. City Planning retained the services of Alex Corey Heritage Consulting ("the Consultant") to research and evaluate a citywide group of eighteen pre-1870 listed properties which includes the subject property at 32 Bright Street. The Consultant evaluated the subject property and determined that it meets the provincial criteria.

The Consultant's research on the subject property is included in Attachment 3 of this report. The research, analysis, and evaluation contained within Attachment 3 reflect the Consultant's professional expertise and opinion. Staff have independently reviewed the Consultant's research and heritage evaluation and concur with the determination that the property at 32 Bright Street has cultural heritage value and meets four of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.