Heritage Designation

Heritage designation is public recognition of the heritage value of buildings, sites or cultural features in a community. The Ontario Heritage Act helps a community to either designate individual buildings (under Part IV of the Act) or a number of buildings as a district (under Part V of the Act).

The National Trust for Canada is asking for your experience with insuring heritage properties. This will help the National Trust to advocate for fair and transparent treatment for the heritage sector. Take the survey: Insurance and Heritage Survey.

Heritage Caledon uses the guidelines from the Ontario Heritage Act to advise Council about heritage designation. In Caledon, there are:

• 130 designated properties (Part IV, OHA)
• 968 listed properties (Section 27, OHA)
• 1 Heritage Conservation District, 168 designated properties (Part V, OHA)
• 10 Cultural Heritage Landscapes (Town of Caledon CHL Inventory)

All listed and designated properties are identified on the municipal Heritage Register. Caledon's individually designated properties and Heritage Conservation Districts are also identified on the provincial Heritage Registry.

Heritage trees

Contact us to request the Caledon Heritage Trees booklet to find heritage trees in Caledon. Trees and hedges can also be designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Benefits of heritage designation

Heritage designation offers a variety of benefits to the Town and property owners. It helps define a community's identity, character and sense of place. Heritage designation not only recognizes the historic significance of a property, it also:

• Protects a property from certain alterations
• Makes a property eligible for financial assistance through the heritage grant program or the heritage property tax rebate program
• Prevents demolition without Council approval

Myths of heritage designation

Some people believe that heritage designation has a negative impact on the property owner and restricts the use of the property. This is not the case. For example, a heritage designation does not:

• Impose restrictions, obligations, or expenses beyond those of any property owner
• Prevent alterations or expansions to a building as long as they complement the heritage attributes
• Include interior spaces
• Adversely affect property values
• Result in a higher insurance premium
• Restrict the use of the property
• Require an owner to restore lost or damaged features or a property

Heritage Register

Review the properties included on the Town of Caledon Heritage Register below: 

Check out our brand new Heritage Register map below!

Heritage Register Map