{"id":619,"date":"2019-05-17T17:28:21","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T17:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aconwr.ca\/blog\/?p=619"},"modified":"2019-05-17T17:28:21","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T17:28:21","slug":"we-need-your-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aconwr.ca\/blog\/uncategorized\/we-need-your-help\/","title":{"rendered":"We Need Your Help!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The ACO Provincial Policy Committee wants you to respond to the call for comments from the Provincial Government on Bill 108. The Government of Ontario has proposed changes to the Ontario Heritage Act through Bill 108.<\/p>\n

Part of Bill 108 proposes changes to the Ontario Heritage Act. We need to speak out against this flawed proposal right away.\u00a0 June 1 is the deadline for comments and the government wants to pass the Bill by June 11.<\/p>\n

Our concern is that Bill 108 would take away local communities\u2019 right to say what is important to them, and what parts of the past the community values and wishes to pass on to future generations.<\/p>\n

It would give this authority to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT), who can undo the work of democratically elected councils \u2014 and the Municipal Heritage Committees and trained heritage planning staff who support them. LPAT will have the final say on approving, revoking or amending heritage protection bylaws.<\/p>\n

Compounding the problem: No current LPAT members have any background in heritage. Nor are they required to have heritage expertise or an understanding of the values of the community they are judging.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t need this radical departure. The current regulations\u00a09\/06<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a010\/06<\/a>\u00a0work. They provide criteria that help ensure decision made by communities on heritage properties are objective and consistent across Ontario. The specialist Conservation Review Board (CRB) reviews municipalities\u2019 work and provides an expeditious, low-cost alternative to lengthy LPAT appeals. Don\u2019t change a rule book that\u2019s working.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the rush? Take time to properly consult with the heritage and municipal sectors and get this right.<\/p>\n

Take Schedule 11, Ontario Heritage Act, out of\u00a0Bill 108<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What you can do:<\/p>\n