Heritage Property Designation

Heritage properties can be designated individually under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The City of Peterborough has 140 individually designated heritage properties, and Under Part V, the City's Heritage Conservation District has 348 properties.  There are many more buildings in the city worthy of designation.

Heritage designation is designed to help manage change in the historic buildings that are important to the character of our city. It helps preserve these important buildings so that they can continue to be enjoyed by the community. Designation also makes property owners eligible for financial incentives such as the Heritage Property Tax Rebate Program and the Heritage Conservation District Grant Program.

How Designation Works

The council of a municipality may, by by-law, designate an individual or group of properties within the municipality as being of cultural heritage value or interest. There are no fees associated with heritage designation. Properties must be researched and evaluated based on provincial regulation to determine whether they are of cultural heritage value or interest and worthy of designation. Council then must pass a by-law designating the property. A detailed description of the steps to designating a heritage property and its implications are located in our Guide to Heritage Designation.

If you are interested in having a property designated, you should contact the Heritage Preservation Office.

Heritage Permits

Owners of properties designated under Part IV and Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act need a heritage permit before altering their property. Permit applications should be submitted to the Heritage Preservation Office for review and approval. You should meet with City staff prior to submitting a permit application to determine whether the proposed work requires a permit and to discuss your plans.