What Happens at a Municipal Heritage Designation Hearing (And How to Win One)

Properties in Ontario are evaluated against Ontario Regulation 9/06, which prescribes nine criteria organized under three categories:

Design or Physical Value:

• The property is a rare, unique, representative, or early example of a style, type, expression, material, or construction method
• The property displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit
• The property demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement

Historical or Associative Value:

• The property has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization, or institution that is significant to a community
• The property yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture
• The property demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer, or theorist who is significant to a community

Contextual Value:

• The property is important in defining, maintaining, or supporting the character of an area
• The property is physically, functionally, visually, or historically linked to its surroundings
• The property is a landmark

A property must meet two or more of the nine criteria to qualify for designation. This threshold was raised from one criterion by amendments under Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022), which significantly tightened the requirements for heritage designation across Ontario.

Alberta: The Historical Resources Act

Alberta's Historical Resources Act (RSA 2000, c H-9) creates a unique situation in Canada. The Act requires municipalities to pay full market-value compensation for any decrease in property value caused by a designation imposed without owner consent. This compensation requirement has historically prevented any Alberta municipality from force-designating a property.

In practice, heritage designation in Alberta requires owner consent. This has led to significant heritage losses in cities like Calgary and Edmonton, where owners who do not wish to be designated simply refuse. Peter Hemingway's mid-century modernist tabernacle in Edmonton was demolished in 2007 despite appearing on the National Trust's Top 10 Endangered Places list. The Bank of Montreal Building in Edmonton sat empty for over a decade before being demolished in 2012 for a parkade.

Calgary's Heritage Advisory Board advises council on heritage matters, but without the ability to compel designation, the board's recommendations carry limited enforcement power.

British Columbia: The Local Government Act

In British Columbia, heritage designation at the municipal level is governed by Part 15 of the Local Government Act, not the provincial Heritage Conservation Act (which governs provincial and archaeological sites). Municipalities designate properties by bylaw under section 611, and a public hearing is mandatory before a designation bylaw can be adopted.

BC's heritage framework has been under review since 2021, with proposed amendments to the Heritage Conservation Act intended to align with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. However, in 2026 the provincial government paused the amendments, citing the need for more consultation with industry, local governments, and First Nations.

A lawyer has publicly noted that under BC's current heritage regime, there is no appeal mechanism, no compensation mechanism, and no transparent evidentiary standard for landowners to challenge heritage findings. This creates a situation where property owners have limited recourse once a designation process begins.

Manitoba: The Heritage Resources Act

Manitoba's Heritage Resources Act (CCSM c H39.1) requires municipalities to hold a public hearing after giving first reading to a proposed designation bylaw. The hearing date must be no earlier than 21 days after service of notice, and any person, group, or organization may attend and make submissions with or without legal counsel.

If a property owner files a Notice of Objection that is not withdrawn within 30 days, the objection is referred to The Municipal Board for a formal hearing with binding authority.

Saskatchewan: The Heritage Property Act

Saskatchewan's Heritage Property Act allows any person, community group, or interested party to ask their municipal council to consider a property for designation. Council must consult with the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (where one exists), serve notice on the property owner, and publish notice. Council votes on the bylaw no less than 30 days after service of notices.

Nova Scotia: The Heritage Property Act

Nova Scotia's Heritage Property Act empowers municipalities to create their own heritage property registry and Heritage Advisory Committee. When an owner is given notice, a hearing is set allowing the owner to provide their opinion. Owner consent is not required. After receiving notice, the owner faces a 120-day period during which no substantial alterations are permitted.

Quebec: Loi sur le patrimoine culturel

Quebec's cultural heritage act provides municipalities the power to adopt a "citation" bylaw to protect buildings, after a mandatory 60-day notice period. The municipal council must consult its heritage council before adopting or amending a citation bylaw. The citation must be adopted within 120 days of the notice of motion.

What Actually Happens at a Heritage Designation Hearing

The heritage designation process follows a multi-stage procedure that varies by province but follows a broadly consistent pattern. Using Ontario as the most common model, here is what to expect at each stage.

Stage 1: Research and Evaluation

Before any hearing takes place, heritage planning staff research the property and evaluate it against the provincial criteria. In Ontario, this means assessing the property against each of the nine criteria in Ontario Regulation 9/06. A Heritage Impact Assessment or detailed staff report is prepared, including historical research, architectural analysis, and documentation of heritage attributes.

This research phase can take weeks or months. It typically involves primary source research: historic maps and atlases, original architectural drawings, historic photographs, building permit records, land registry records, census data, and fire insurance plans.

The quality of this initial research often determines the outcome. A well-documented staff report that methodically addresses each criterion is difficult to challenge. A thin report with gaps in documentation creates openings for objections.

Stage 2: Heritage Committee Review

The draft designating bylaw and staff report go to the Municipal Heritage Committee. In Toronto, this is the Preservation Board. In Hamilton, it is the Municipal Heritage Committee. In Peterborough, the Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC). Every municipality with a heritage program has some version of this advisory body.

Heritage committees are typically composed of volunteer citizens appointed by council, including architects, historians, urban planners, museum professionals, heritage consultants, and community members with an interest in local history. The committee reviews the staff report, may ask questions of heritage planning staff, hears delegations from the public, and makes a recommendation to council.

The committee recommendation is advisory only. Council makes the final decision. However, a unanimous committee recommendation carries significant weight, and council rarely overturns a strong committee recommendation without political consequences.

Stage 3: Notice of Intention to Designate

If council approves moving forward with designation, a Notice of Intention to Designate (NOID) is issued. This is the formal legal trigger that starts the designation process. The NOID must be:

• Served on the property owner
• Published in a local newspaper
• Published on the municipality's website
• Sent to the Ontario Heritage Trust (in Ontario)

Critical interim protection: Once a NOID is issued, any existing building or demolition permit becomes void. The property cannot be altered or demolished without council consent during the designation process. This is one of the most consequential features of the designation process — the NOID itself creates immediate legal protection for the property.

Stage 4: Objection Period

Property owners and other persons have 30 days (in Ontario) to file a written objection setting out the reasons for their objection. The objection must be in writing and must include specific reasons — a general statement of opposition is not sufficient.

This is the most important deadline in the entire process. Missing the 30-day objection window means losing the right to appeal.

Stage 5: Council Consideration of Objections

If objections are received, council must consider them within 90 days of the end of the objection period. Council reviews the objections alongside the original staff report and committee recommendation. Council can either withdraw the NOID or proceed to pass the designation bylaw.

Council meetings where objections are considered typically allow delegations from both the property owner and heritage advocates. This is often the most contentious public meeting in the entire process, and the one where communications strategy matters most.

Stage 6: Designation Bylaw

If council decides to proceed, it passes the designation bylaw. The bylaw includes a Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest and a description of the heritage attributes of the property. Notice of the bylaw passing is published.

Stage 7: Appeal

Anyone who objected to the NOID is entitled to appeal the designation bylaw to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) within 30 days of the bylaw being passed. Recent amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act mean the OLT now issues final binding decisions on heritage appeals, rather than recommendations to council. This is a significant change that gives the tribunal direct authority over heritage outcomes.

At OLT hearings, parties can attend with or without legal counsel. Expert witnesses — heritage consultants, architects, historians — are commonly called. The tribunal evaluates whether the property meets the legislated criteria and whether the designation process was conducted properly.

Property Owner Rights: What You Can Do

Heritage designation affects how you can use, alter, and maintain your property. Understanding your rights is essential whether you support or oppose designation.

Right to Be Notified

In every Canadian province, property owners have the right to be notified before a designation decision is made. The notice must be served directly on the property owner (not just published in a newspaper), and it must include sufficient information about the proposed designation and the process for objecting.

Right to Object

Property owners can file formal written objections during the objection period. In Ontario, this is 30 days from the NOID. The objection must state specific reasons — what criteria you believe the property does not meet, what errors exist in the heritage research, or what procedural deficiencies occurred in the process.

Right to Delegate at Council

Property owners can speak at heritage committee meetings and council meetings where the designation is being considered. This is your opportunity to present your case directly to the decision-makers. Most municipalities allow 5 to 10 minutes per delegation, with the option to submit longer written materials.

Right to Appeal

In Ontario, anyone who filed a written objection can appeal the designation bylaw to the Ontario Land Tribunal within 30 days. In Manitoba, objections can be referred to The Municipal Board for a formal hearing. In British Columbia, appeal mechanisms for municipal designations are limited.

Right to Apply for Heritage Permits

After designation, property owners can apply for heritage permits to alter their property. Designation does not freeze a property in time — it means that changes affecting heritage attributes require municipal review and approval. Many alterations, particularly interior changes and changes to non-heritage attributes, proceed without difficulty.

Consequences of Designation

Alterations: Any alteration likely to affect the property's heritage attributes requires written consent from council through a heritage permit process. This applies to exterior changes, structural modifications, and new construction on the property.

Demolition: Demolition of a designated heritage building requires council approval. Council can refuse demolition or grant it with conditions such as documentation, salvage of heritage materials, or incorporation of heritage elements into new development. A demolition application triggers a mandatory 90-day review period.

Maintenance: Owners of designated properties are responsible for maintaining heritage attributes. Municipal property standards officers can issue maintenance orders, and if an owner does not comply, the municipality can enter the property and complete the work at the owner's expense.

Property values: A landmark study by Robert Shipley at the University of Waterloo, examining nearly 3,000 properties in 24 Ontario communities, found that 74% of designated properties performed at average or better than average in the real estate market. 59% performed better than average. Only 26% performed below the average price trend. The research concluded that heritage designation could not be shown to have a negative impact on property values.

Financial incentives: Ontario's Municipal Act (Section 365.2) allows municipalities to offer 10% to 40% property tax rebates to designated heritage property owners. Edmonton offers rehabilitation grants covering 50% of project costs (up to $75,000 residential) and maintenance grants covering 30% (up to $10,000 residential, $50,000 commercial). Halifax offers matching grants up to $10,000 (50% of eligible exterior work costs). Calgary and Toronto operate their own heritage incentive programs.

Strategies That Win Heritage Designation Hearings

Heritage hearings are won and lost on preparation, documentation, and presentation. The strategies differ depending on which side of the table you sit on, but the fundamentals are the same: know the legislation, document your case, and communicate effectively.

For Preservation Advocates Seeking Designation

Build the evidentiary case around the legislated criteria. The single most important factor in a successful designation is demonstrating that the property meets the specific criteria in the provincial legislation. In Ontario, this means addressing each of the nine criteria in O. Reg. 9/06 with documentary evidence. Do not assume that a building is "obviously" significant — prove it with primary sources.

Conduct thorough historical research. Use primary sources: historic maps and atlases (available through municipal archives and the Toronto Reference Library), original architectural drawings, historic photographs (often available through provincial archives and local historical societies), building permit records, land registry records, census data, and fire insurance plans (Goad's atlases are available for most Canadian cities).

Prepare a comprehensive Statement of Cultural Heritage Value. This should cover four categories of value: evidential value (what the physical building itself tells us), historical value (associations with significant people, events, and themes), aesthetic value (architectural merit, craftsmanship, design), and communal value (meaning to the community, sense of place, social significance).

Mobilize community support. Petitions, delegations at council, and letter-writing campaigns demonstrate that the community values the property. Partner with heritage organizations — Heritage Ottawa, Heritage Winnipeg, Heritage Calgary, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, and the National Trust for Canada all provide support and amplification for local heritage campaigns.

Cite the property value research. The Shipley study is the most comprehensive Canadian research on heritage designation and property values. Use it to counter the argument that designation harms real estate values.

Emphasize irreversibility. Demolition cannot be undone. Heritage permits can be granted for sympathetic alterations. This asymmetry is a powerful argument: the cost of designation is flexibility, but the cost of not designating is potentially permanent loss.

For Property Owners Opposing Designation

Challenge whether the property meets the statutory criteria. In Ontario, a property must meet two or more of the nine criteria under O. Reg. 9/06. Review the staff report criterion by criterion. Where is the evidence weak? Where are the assertions unsupported by documentation? An independent heritage assessment from a qualified heritage consultant can provide a professional opinion that contradicts the municipality's findings.

Identify procedural deficiencies. Was proper notice given? Were the timelines followed? Was the heritage committee properly constituted? Were consultation requirements met? Procedural errors can invalidate a designation, and municipalities do make mistakes.

Document condition and alterations. If the property has been significantly altered from its original state, the heritage attributes identified in the designation bylaw may no longer be present. Condition reports showing deterioration or past renovations that removed heritage features can undermine the case for designation.

Engage qualified experts early. Heritage consultants, architects, and legal counsel specializing in heritage law can identify weaknesses in the municipality's case and prepare professional reports for submission. At Ontario Land Tribunal hearings, expert witnesses are standard.

Know what does not work. Pseudo-legal arguments — claiming an "inalienable right to private property" or refusing to grant "permission" for the municipality to designate — are consistently rejected. A case in Kingston, Ontario saw property owners file formal notices asserting rights not recognized under the Heritage Act. These arguments waste time and credibility. Similarly, purely economic arguments (claiming designation will reduce property values) are generally ineffective unless tied to specific provincial compensation provisions.

The Role of Communications and Digital Advocacy

Heritage designation battles are increasingly fought in the public sphere before they reach the hearing room. The cases that attract media coverage, public attention, and political pressure tend to produce different outcomes than those that proceed quietly through the bureaucratic process.

How Digital Strategy Shapes Heritage Outcomes

The most effective heritage campaigns in Canada combine traditional advocacy with modern digital strategy:

Save 514 Wellington (Winnipeg): This campaign to save a 110-year-old mansion on Wellington Crescent launched a dedicated website, a petition that gathered over 5,000 signatures, and organized physical protests that drew national media coverage. On the night before scheduled demolition, students from St. Mary's Academy physically blocked the demolition crew. Despite the mansion's eventual demolition in November 2020, the campaign catalyzed the formal designation of the Crescentwood-Enderton Park Heritage Conservation District in March 2023.

Save Avon Crest (Stratford): The campaign to save Stratford's first public hospital operated a dedicated website, gathered 3,165 petition signatures on Change.org, and organized over 50 public vigils. The National Trust for Canada listed the building as a Top Endangered Place. Despite these efforts, council ultimately did not designate the building after receiving legal advice about the implications of Bill 23.

Heritage Ottawa and the Chateau Laurier: When Larco Investments proposed a modern addition to the federally designated Chateau Laurier hotel, Heritage Ottawa launched an online fundraising campaign that raised over $150,000 from individual donors and Canadian foundations. The organization filed a lawsuit against the City of Ottawa and sustained six years of public pressure. After six design iterations, a significantly revised design was finally approved in 2021.

Building an Effective Heritage Communications Campaign

Whether you are advocating for or against designation, communications strategy matters. Here is what the most successful campaigns have in common:

Tell a human story. Heritage designation is fundamentally about stories. The Caldecott House case in Toronto became a national conversation because the owners — a couple of South Asian descent — raised questions about whose history heritage designation preserves. The Avon Crest campaign connected the building to Stratford's healthcare history. The 514 Wellington campaign made the mansion a symbol of community identity.

Document everything visually. Before-and-after photographs, architectural detail shots, historical images, and drone footage create compelling content for both media and council presentations. Visual documentation is essential for social media engagement and for establishing the heritage significance of a property.

Engage media strategically. Heritage stories consistently attract media attention because they involve conflict, community identity, and irreversible decisions. Local newspapers, CBC regional bureaus, and community media are natural outlets. The National Trust for Canada's annual Endangered Places List is a proven platform for generating national press coverage.

Build political pressure. Identify the councillors who will vote on the designation. Understand their positions on development and heritage. Organize delegations that represent diverse community voices — not just heritage enthusiasts, but neighbourhood residents, business owners, tourism operators, and cultural organizations.

Use digital platforms effectively. Dedicated campaign websites, petition platforms (Change.org, GoPetition), social media accounts, and email lists create sustained public pressure that politicians cannot ignore. The most effective campaigns maintain consistent messaging across all platforms and update supporters regularly on the process and timeline. For a comprehensive guide to building your heritage property's digital presence — from Google Business Profile to structured data to AI search — see our guide on making your heritage building visible online.

The Bill 23 Crisis: Ontario's Heritage Emergency

The most significant recent development in Canadian heritage law is Ontario's Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022), which has created an existential crisis for heritage protection in the province.

Bill 23 requires that all properties on municipal heritage registers must be formally designated by January 1, 2027, or be removed from the register. Once removed, a property cannot be relisted for five years. This affects approximately 36,000 listed heritage properties across Ontario.

In Toronto alone, nearly 3,600 listed properties — including the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse and the Ontario Legislature at Queen's Park — face removal from the heritage register if not formally designated before the deadline. The City of Ottawa announced it would de-list a majority of its 4,600 non-designated properties.

The work of preparing proper heritage research and designation bylaws for thousands of properties cannot realistically be completed before the deadline. Municipalities are scrambling with mass designation processes, but the volume is overwhelming. Bill 200 (Homeowner Protection Act, 2024) extended the original January 1, 2025 deadline to January 1, 2027, but the clock is still ticking.

Bill 23 also raised the designation threshold from one criterion to two, making it harder to designate properties that have significance in only one category (for example, a building with high contextual value but limited architectural distinction).

More recently, Ontario's Bill 5 (Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025), which received Royal Assent on June 5, 2025, introduced a new archaeological exemption framework that allows the province to exempt properties from Ontario Heritage Act archaeological assessment requirements if the exemption could advance provincial priorities in transit, housing, health care, or infrastructure. This has drawn sharp criticism from Indigenous Nations, archaeologists, and heritage professionals.

Notable Canadian Heritage Designation Battles

Understanding how heritage hearings play out in practice is as important as understanding the law. These cases illustrate the range of outcomes and the factors that determine them.

Peterborough GE Factory Complex (2025-2026)

An ongoing case involving 33 buildings on the historic General Electric factory site, dating to 1891 when it was originally the Canadian Works of the Thomas Edison Company. GE Vernova proposed demolishing 26 buildings. The city's heritage committee (PACAC) recommended broader heritage designations, but council rejected those recommendations.

The case became controversial when BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada — which leases four buildings on the site — objected to heritage designation, with its VP stating that designation carries significant risk to their business. In February 2026, council excluded the four BWXT-leased buildings from designation at the Mayor's request, raising questions about the independence of municipal heritage decision-making when corporate interests are involved.

The Caldecott House, Toronto (2024)

A Toronto couple — Dr. Arnold Mahesan, a fertility specialist of Sri Lankan descent, and Roxanne Earle, whose family comes from Pakistan — fought to remove heritage designation from their century home, arguing that the original owner, Stapleton Caldecott, held racist views. At a Toronto Preservation Board meeting, Mahesan stated that Caldecott would have been appalled by them living there. The case raised complex questions about whose history heritage designation preserves and whether the heritage framework adequately considers the full context of a property's associations.

514 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg (2016-2020)

One of Canada's most dramatic heritage battles. A 110-year-old mansion was purchased by a developer for approximately $1.25 million in 2016 for condominium development. The Save 514 Wellington campaign gathered over 5,000 petition signatures. On June 6, 2019, at 10:46 PM — the night before scheduled demolition — the City's Director of Planning nominated Crescentwood as a Heritage Conservation District, suspending all demolition permits.

The next morning, student protesters from St. Mary's Academy physically blocked the demolition crew. The developer sued the city. Despite all efforts, the mansion was demolished in November 2020 after the property department declared it unsafe. The loss catalyzed the formal designation of the Crescentwood-Enderton Park Heritage Conservation District in March 2023.

Chateau Laurier Addition, Ottawa (2018-2021)

One of Canada's most high-profile heritage battles. The owner, Larco Investments, proposed a modern addition to the Chateau Laurier hotel, which is both a National Historic Site and designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Community opposition was fierce. Heritage Ottawa received over $150,000 in donations to fight the addition. Former cabinet ministers and comedian Tom Green appeared in opposition. Heritage Ottawa launched a lawsuit against the City of Ottawa.

After six design iterations spanning three years, a two-pavilion design was finally approved in February 2021, reopening views to the rear of the historic hotel. The case demonstrated the power of sustained public advocacy combined with legal action and media pressure.

Dunsmuir House, Vancouver (2024-2025)

A 115-year-old building at the corner of Dunsmuir and Richards streets that served as a grand hotel, military barracks, and SRO housing. Despite being heritage-listed, Holborn Properties allowed it to stand vacant since 2013. A city report found severe water damage, pigeon guano inches deep, and a structurally compromised building.

Council reluctantly approved demolition while criticizing the owner and asking staff to explore legal avenues against property owners who deliberately neglect heritage buildings. The case illustrates the problem of "demolition by neglect" — where owners allow heritage buildings to deteriorate until demolition becomes the only option.

Preparing for Your Heritage Hearing: A Practical Checklist

Whether you are presenting to a heritage committee, delegating at council, or preparing for an Ontario Land Tribunal hearing, this checklist covers the essential preparation:

30+ Days Before the Hearing:

• Obtain and read the complete staff report and heritage research
• Review the specific provincial criteria that apply to your property
• Engage a heritage consultant and/or legal counsel if needed
• Commission an independent heritage assessment if you intend to challenge the staff findings
• Begin documenting the property's current condition with photographs and video
• Identify potential expert witnesses

14 Days Before the Hearing:

• Prepare your written submission (typically limited to approximately 10 pages plus exhibits at the OLT; longer submissions may be accepted at council)
• Prepare a concise oral presentation (5 to 10 minutes for council delegations)
• Organize supporting documentation: historical photographs, condition reports, expert opinions, letters of support
• If advocating for designation, organize community delegations and coordinate messaging
• If opposing designation, prepare specific objections tied to the statutory criteria

At the Hearing:

• Focus on the legislated criteria, not emotional arguments
• Present evidence, not opinions
• Be respectful of the process and the panel members
• Bring copies of all written materials for the clerk and committee members
• If presenting at the OLT, be prepared for cross-examination of expert witnesses

After the Hearing:

• If objecting in Ontario, file your written objection within 30 days of the NOID
• If appealing in Ontario, file your notice of appeal with the OLT within 30 days of the bylaw passing
• Monitor council agendas for any follow-up reports or decisions
• Maintain your communications campaign through the appeal process

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a heritage designation hearing in Canada?

A heritage designation hearing is a municipal process where a local council considers whether to formally designate a property under provincial heritage legislation. The hearing involves staff reports, heritage committee review, public delegations, and a council vote. In Ontario, the process is governed by the Ontario Heritage Act; other provinces have equivalent legislation.

Can a property owner stop heritage designation?

Property owners can file formal written objections during the objection period (30 days in Ontario) and delegate at council meetings. In Ontario, owners who filed objections can appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. In Alberta, heritage designation effectively requires owner consent due to mandatory compensation provisions. The outcome depends on the province, the strength of the heritage case, and the quality of the objection.

Does heritage designation lower property values in Canada?

Research by Robert Shipley at the University of Waterloo, examining nearly 3,000 properties in 24 Ontario communities, found that 74% of designated properties performed at average or better in the real estate market, with 59% performing above average. Only 26% performed below the average price trend. Heritage designation has not been shown to have a negative impact on property values.

What is Bill 23 and how does it affect heritage in Ontario?

Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022) raised the heritage designation threshold from one criterion to two under Ontario Regulation 9/06, and requires all properties on municipal heritage registers to be formally designated by January 1, 2027, or be removed. This affects approximately 36,000 listed heritage properties across Ontario.

Do I need a lawyer for a heritage designation hearing?

Legal counsel is not required for heritage committee meetings or council delegations, but is strongly recommended for Ontario Land Tribunal hearings where cross-examination of expert witnesses is standard. A heritage consultant can help assess whether the property meets the statutory criteria, and a lawyer specializing in heritage law can identify procedural deficiencies and prepare submissions.

How long does the heritage designation process take in Canada?

The full process typically takes several months to over a year. In Ontario, the timeline includes research and evaluation (weeks to months), heritage committee review, a 30-day objection period after the Notice of Intention to Designate, 90 days for council to consider objections, and a potential 30-day appeal period to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Appeals can add additional months.

The SHIFT Approach to Heritage Advocacy

Heritage designation hearings are where the future of historic buildings is decided. SHIFT's CTO Stephen Taylor built Heritage Guide Canada — preserving 13,554 heritage site records when Parks Canada planned to take them offline. That project demonstrated what happens when digital capability meets preservation commitment.

We bring the same approach to heritage advocacy and communications:

• Heritage communications strategy that builds public support and political will before the hearing
• Digital advocacy campaigns with dedicated websites, petition infrastructure, and social media strategy
• Hearing presentation materials including professional visual documentation and structured arguments
• Media relations that generate coverage and frame the public narrative
• Municipal hearing support with presentation preparation and stakeholder coordination

Heritage preservation has always been about ensuring the past is not forgotten. In 2026, that increasingly means ensuring the past has a voice in the hearing room — and in the public conversation that surrounds it.

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For information about SHIFT's heritage digital strategy services, get in touch. Heritage Guide Canada is freely accessible at heritageguide.ca.