FAQs

A Heritage Conservation District (HCD) – defined under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act – is a geographically defined area within a municipality that is noted for its distinct heritage character. Through the adoption of a plan, guidelines, or policies, a municipality is able to guide future change of the district area.

Walkerville is currently not a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) as recognized by Ontario laws. The Study is intended to evaluate the heritage resources within Walkerville and its merits to become a HCD as well as alternative Planning tools. The conclusion of the study including Community input through the Public Engagement results would be brought forward to Windsor City Council. 

A Heritage Conservation District (HCD) is defined under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act as a "geographically defined area within a municipality that is noted for its distinct heritage character". A HCD is established through a by-law adopted by a municipality, and must be registered with the Ontario Heritage Trust.  

A Heritage Area is defined in the City of Windsor Official Plan as an "area or neighbourhood where there are collections of important heritage resources". The Official Plan policies promote the enhancement and maintenance of heritage resources, but are not regulated or enforceable through permits. A heritage area does not have the same legal status as a HCD. 

• Windsor City Council directed for the initiation of a new Walkerville HCD Study in July 2019 (through CR 334/2019).   
• In July 2022, City Council adopted the Walkerville Districting Plan, which included a recommendation to explore the creation of a Walkerville HCD. 
• In November 2022, the Province of Ontario announced the Royal Assent of “Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act”. A provision within Bill 23 was for municipal governments across Ontario to evaluate all Listed properties on their Municipal Heritage Register to either determine if they should be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, or be stripped of their Listed status and removed from the Heritage Register. The deadline for action of the Heritage Register clean-up was January 1, 2025. 
• Bill 23 was a major trigger for City Council to direct Administration to commence the Walkerville HCD Study process as a priority. A large geographic cluster of Listed properties are in Walkerville. There are currently approximately 52 individually designated and 292 listed heritage properties within the study area boundary, which was a preliminary indicator of the heritage potential of the neighbourhood to be designated as a HCD under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. 
• The HCD Study also reinforces other initiatives that City Council has endorsed, not just the Walkerville Districting Plan but also the Main Streets Community Improvement Plan that provides financial incentives for eligible properties along Wyandotte Street East. 

• On May 26, 2025, City Council adopted the Walkerville HCD Study Main Report and Appendices and directed City staff to proceed with the development of the Walkerville HCD Plan & Guidelines (Stage 2). The public engagement kick off event held on November 4, 2025, helped inform the development of the HCD Plan. 
• The draft WHCD Plan & Guidelines will be presented at the second public engagement event on June 9, 2026 for feedback with consultation period through June. At the third public engagement event targeted for September 2026, the final draft WHCD Plan & Guidelines will be presented. 
• The goal is to bring the matter before Development & Heritage Standing Committee & Council for consideration in Dec 2026/Jan 2027 following the election cycle. 

• All properties within the recommended boundary were evaluated based on criteria set out by the Province through the Ontario Heritage Act, O.Reg. 9/06.
• Properties that meet at least 2 out of the 9 criteria are categorized as contributing.
• Our team of researchers looked at each property, conducted site visits, undertook historical research (including city directories, historic newspapers, fire insurance plans, historical photographs, and obituaries) to come up with a preliminary assessment. That is one of the reasons why the project took so long from Kick-off to Draft Recommendations today.  
• Not all properties within the recommended boundary are contributing, based on the preliminary assessment.

Properties must meet at least 2 of the 9 criteria per OHA O.Reg. 9/06 to contribute to a HCD:

The properties have design value or physical value because: 

1. They are rare, unique, representative or early examples of a style, type, expression, material or construction method. 

2. They display a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit. 

3. They demonstrate a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. 

The properties have historical value or associative value because: 

4. They have a direct association with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community. 

5. They yield, or have the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture. 

6. They demonstrate or reflect the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community. 

The properties have contextual value because: 

7. They define, maintain or support the character of the district. 

8. They are physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to each other. 

9.They are defined by, planned around or are themselves a landmark.

• 25% at 2/9 means that 25% of the properties within the HCD boundary must meet at least 2/9 criteria for designation under O.Reg. 9/06. 
• 30% at 3/9 means that 30% of the properties within the HCD boundary meet at least 3/9 criteria. This was MRLA’s suggested approach to ensure that the boundary and recommendations are sound in meeting legislative requirements.

• The boundary was kept smaller to ensure compliance with provincial requirements, specifically the 25% of properties meeting 2/9 criteria.
• A smaller initial boundary allows for potential future expansion, which is procedurally easier than reducing a large boundary particularly should the boundary be appealed at the Ontario Land Tribunal.
• Properties outside of the recommended boundary but within the original study area with potential for individual designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act are included in Appendix E for consideration.

• The recommended boundary is a large geographic area, and naturally there are parts of the overall neighbourhood that have a slightly different character from each other. The four sub-districts were determined based on common historical theme, time of development, physical attributes, etc.. A good analogy for this would be the same person (the recommended boundary) with four different aspects of their personality (the sub-areas).

• The evaluations have been condensed into a summary table listing all properties within the HCD boundary (including their contribution status and a tally of which – if any – criteria under O.Reg. 9/06 they meet). 
• This summary table is available as an Appendix to the draft WHCD Plan & Guidelines, and can be accessed online through the "Let’s Talk Windsor" webpage. Each contributing property has an associated property worksheet with a statement of how they meet the criteria. 

• Contributing properties can be referenced through the Appendix to the draft WHCD Plan & Guidelines. 
• For more details or for non-contributing properties, the City of Windsor offers a Historical Research Guide for property owners. It is a compilation document with hyperlinks and directions to different contacts or resources that may assist a property owner in finding more about the history of their property. The Historical Research Guide is applicable whether the property in question is within the Walkerville HCD boundary or across the City of Windsor geographic municipal boundary. It is public, free, and anyone interested can use it. 
• The Historical Research Guide is available on our City Heritage webpage, at the bottom of the page under the subheading "Historical Research on Properties". 

https://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/planning/Plans-and-Community-Information/Know-Your-Community/Heritage-Planning/Pages/Resources-for-Heritage-Property-Owners.aspx

• A HCD recognizes and celebrates the historical and cultural value of an area through research and documentation of the history and cultural heritage resources of the neighbourhood. This helps identify what resources are of value for recognition and preservation.
• Through the adoption of a HCD Plan and Design Guidelines, a HCD can provide clear direction on how change (e.g., new development, infill) is managed in ways that respect and are compatible with the existing heritage character.

• A HCD Plan helps to remove subjectivity, risk, and uncertainty. Having clear direction of what the HCD is and what it controls helps to focus conversations. 
• Administration will have clear policy tools and guidance. Property owners, investors, and developers will have a clear understanding of what is permitted and encouraged. 
• A recommendation of the HCD is to provide delegated authority to City Staff/Administration to process and approve heritage permit applications, which will speed up the process of review. The details are outlined in Section D.5 Heritage Permit Application of the draft WHCD Plan.

• The Plan provides clear direction for when Heritage Permits are required. Maintenance not requiring approvals are listed within the Plan, and policies direct alterations, additions, demolition, removals and new development/infill. 
• "Section I. How to Interpret this Plan" provides the basic steps for any property owner looking to confirm the type and level of regulation for the type of work proposed. 
• To streamline review when Heritage Permits are required, many classes of alterations are proposed to be delegated to City Staff for review and approval. Demolition requests are not delegated to City Staff for review and must be considered by Heritage Committee and City Council for final determination. 

• A HCD is a tool to manage change. A HCD is not intended to restrict a property owner’s rights and abilities to do minor changes or upkeep to their property. 
• The WHCD Plan outlines how exterior changes to a property would be managed to enhance and preserve the neighbourhood's unique character in a compatible and respectful manner (with no impact to the interior of properties). 
• E.g., the erection of sheds not requiring a Building Permit and the painting of wood are considered maintenance items not requiring Heritage approvals.

The draft WHCD Plan allows for energy-efficient upgrades while respecting the property’s heritage features, with direction provided in Sections B.12 Climate Adaptation & Sustainability and B.13 New Materials & Technology

• No. Studies province-wide on this topic have found that properties within a HCD either hold their value or increase in value after being part of a HCD boundary. HCD designation can have a positive association with property values.

Refer to Studies:

• Heritage Designation and Property Values: Is there an Effect?, 2000. International Journal of Heritage Studies 6(1):83-100.
• "The Economic Value of Heritage Districts: How Assessment Growth in Heritage Conservation Districts Compares With Non-designated Areas in Hamilton", 2016. Urban Insights bulletin, CivicPlan.
• "Investigating the Impact of Heritage Property Designation on Real Estate Value". 2023. McMaster University Researchers.

• No, the City will not require it. If it is the desire of the property owner and they have documentation of the property’s original state (appearance, materials, colours, etc.)., then by all means that is the will of the property owner. 
• However, with regards to Parks Canada’s Standards & Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, the best practice is always to preserve and restore rather than to replace. 

• There are over 130 HCDs across Ontario, and each one is slightly different. There is no one-size-fits-all or copy-paste exercise for HCD studies. 
• The first HCD by-law adopted in Ontario was established in Mississauga in 1981, called the Meadowvale Village HCD. MRLA worked on the Barriefield HCD in 1981, which was the second HCD designated after Meadowvale Village. 
• MRLA has worked most recently with Lindsay (and the Trent–Severn Waterway project), Wellington (in Prince Edward County), and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
• In a study from the University of Waterloo about HCDs across Ontario, approximately over 70% expressed satisfaction with their designation and not only how it positively affected their properties but the area as a whole.