HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter 642 - Heritage Property - Consent - AlterationsHERITAGE PROPERTY
KITCHENER 642.1 JANUARY 2026
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
Chapter 642
HERITAGE PROPERTY
CONSENT – ALTERATIONS
Article 1
INTERPRETATION
642.1.1 Act - defined
642.1.2 Alter - defined
642.1.3 City - defined
642.1.4 Compliant - defined
642.1.5 Council - defined
642.1.6 Director – defined
642.1.7 Heritage attributes – defined
642.1.8 Heritage Conservation District - defined
642.1.9 Heritage Kitchener - defined
642.1.10 Heritage planning staff - defined
642.1.11 Owner - defined
642.1.12 Part IV application(s) - defined
642.1.13 Part V application(s) - defined
642.1.14 Property - defined
Article 2
DELEGATION OF CONSENT TO
ALTERATIONS ON PART IV APPLICATIONS
642.2.1 Authority - delegated to Coordinator
642.2.2 Application - consideration - heritage planning staff
642.2.3 Application - refusal - referred to Heritage Kitchener
642.2.4 Application – consented to/permit granted – compliant
642.2.5 Application – consent/permit – referred to Heritage Kitchener
642.2.6 Referral to Heritage Kitchener – conditions
Article 3
DELEGATION OF GRANTING OF PERMITS
ON PART V APPLICATIONS
642.3.1 Referral – to Council – for any reason
642.3.2 Delegation of authority to request information
642.3.3 Delegation of authority to extend timelines
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Article 4
GENERAL PROVISIONS
642.4.1 Validity
Article 5
SEVERABILITY
642.5.1 Effective Date and Repeal of Previous By-law
642.5.2 Municipal Code
WHEREAS section 9 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, as amended, provides
that a municipality has the capacity, rights, powers and privileges of a natural person for
the purpose of exercising its authority under that or any other Act;
AND WHEREAS section 11(3) 5 of the Municipal Act, 2001 provides that a municipality
may pass by-laws within the culture, parks, recreation and heritage sphere of jurisdiction;
AND WHEREAS section 8(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001 provides that the powers of a
municipality under any Act shall be interpreted broadly so as to confer broad authority on
municipalities to enable them to govern their affairs as they consider appropriate, and to
enhance their ability to respond to municipa l issues;
AND WHEREAS section 23.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 provides that sections 9 and 11
of the Municipal Act, 2001 authorize a municipality to delegate its powers under the
Municipal Act, 2001 or any Act, subject to certain limitations;
AND WHEREAS sections 33 and 42 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18
provide that Council may delegate its authority to consent to alteration of property
designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and to grant permits for the alteration
of property located in a Heritage Conservation District designated under Part V of the
Ontario Heritage Act;
AND WHEREAS pursuant to sections 33(15) and 42(16) of the Ontario Heritage Act, the
Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchener has consulted with its municipal
heritage committee, Heritage Kitchener, respecting the delegation contained within this
Chapter;
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KITCHENER 642.3 JANUARY 2026
Article 1
INTERPRETATION
642.1.1 Act – defined
“Act” means the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18, as amended.
642.1.2 Alter – defined
“Alter” means to change in any manner and includes to restore, renovate, repair, erect,
or disturb and “alteration” and “altering” have corresponding meanings. For clarity, Alter
does not mean to demolish or to permanently remove.
642.1.3 City – defined
“City” means The Corporation of the City of Kitchener.
642.1.4 Compliant – defined
“Compliant” means conforming to the City’s cultural heritage resource policies in the
Official Plan, guidelines, and agreements, including any relevant Heritage Conservation
District Plans, conservation easement agreements, designation by-laws, and Urban
Design Guidelines, as well as accepted conservation standards and practices, including
but not limited to, Parks Canada’s Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of
Historic Places in Canada, Ontario’s Eight Guiding Principles in the Conservation of Built
Heritage Resources, and the Ontario Heritage Toolkit.
642.1.5 Council – defined
“Council” means the Council of the City.
642.1.6 Director – defined
“Director” means the Director of Development and Housing Approvals, and includes any
designate or designates acting under their direction, or any successor in position title.
642.1.7 Heritage attributes – defined
“Heritage attributes” means in relation to real property and the buildings and structures
on the real property, the elements which contribute to the cultural heritage value or
interest, as outlined in a designating by-law, Heritage Conservation District Plan, and/or
easement agreement.
642.1.8 Heritage Conservation District – defined
“Heritage Conservation District” means a heritage conservation district established under
Part V of the Act.
642.1.9 Heritage Kitchener – defined
“Heritage Kitchener” means the City’s municipal heritage committee established pursuant
to the Act.
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KITCHENER 642.4 JANUARY 2026
642.1.10 Heritage Planning staff – defined
“Heritage Planning staff” means the City’s Heritage Planner, the City’s Senior Heritage
Planner, the City’s Manager of Site Plan, and the City’s Director of Development and
Housing Approvals, and also includes any other individual or individuals to whom th e
Director has delegated the responsibility and functions of Heritage Planning Staff under
this By-law.
642.1.11 Owner – defined
“Owner” means the registered owner or owner(s) listed on title with the Land Registry
Office
642.1.12 Part IV application(s) – defined
“Part IV application(s)” means an application under section 33 of the Act to alter a property
designated under Part IV of the Act.
642.1.13 Part V application(s) – defined
“Part V application(s)” means a heritage alteration permit application under section 42 of
the Act for property located within a Heritage Conservation District.
642.1.14 Property – defined
“Property” means real property and includes all buildings and structures thereon and
includes a cultural heritage landscape.
Article 2
DELEGATION OF CONSENT TO
ALTERATIONS ON PART IV OR PART V APPLICATIONS
642.2.1 Authority – delegated to Director
Council delegates to the Director all of the power that Council has respecting the process
of granting its consent under section 33 of the Act or issuing a permit under section 42 of
the Act including the ability to attach conditions, subject to the provis ions of this Chapter.
The Director will provide advanced notice to the Heritage Conservation District
representative, if applicable, or the Chair of Heritage Kitchener of all delegated
matters, and will consider any feedback received as a result of such no tice in making their
decision.
642.2.2 Application – consideration – Heritage Planning Staff
Upon receipt of a Part IV or Part V application, Heritage Planning Staff shall consider the
application and may recommend one of the following:
(a) Refusal of the application;
(b) Consent to the application or grant the permit with no conditions; or,
(c) Consent to the application or grant the permit with conditions.
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KITCHENER 642.5 JANUARY 2026
642.2.3 Application – refusal – referred to Heritage Kitchener
In the case of a recommendation as set out in Section 642.2.2(a), Heritage Planning Staff
shall refer the application to Heritage Kitchener for recommendation and Council shall
retain decision making power on the Part IV or Part V application.
642.2.4 Application – consented to/permit granted – compliant
In the case of a recommendation as set out in Section 642.2.2(b) or (c), the Director may
consent to the alteration of Part IV heritage properties or grant a permit for Part V heritage
properties when the application is determined by the Director to be Com pliant, except in
the circumstances set out in section 642.2.5.
642.2.5 Application – consent/permit – referred to Heritage Kitchener
In the case of a recommendation as set out in Section 642.2.2(b) or (c), heritage planning
staff will refer to Heritage Kitchener applications for Part IV and Part V properties in the
following instances:
(a) The removal of heritage attributes as identified in a designating by -law passed
in accordance with section 29 of the Act (“Designating By-law"), Heritage
Conservation District Plan adopted in accordance with section 41.1 of the Act
(“Heritage Conservation District Plan”), or by Heritage Planning Staff as having
cultural heritage value;
(b) The construction of a detached accessory building on the property if the entire
footprint is greater than 15 square metres (161 square feet), or a building
addition;
(c) The removal of a detached accessory building if the entire footprint is greater
than 15 square metres (161 square feet), or a building addition;
(d) Alterations that would have significant or adverse impact on the cultural
heritage value of the property as identified in the Designation By-law, the
Heritage Conservation District Plan, or by Heritage Planning Staff has having
cultural heritage value; and
(e) The application is highly complex, including, but not limited to, situations in
which, in the opinion of the Director, or pursuant to the Act, a heritage impact
assessment, conservation plan, or other heritage-related study is required to
be submitted.
642.2.6 Referral to Heritage Kitchener – conditions
Where Heritage Planning Staff refer a Part IV or Part V application to Heritage Kitchener
pursuant to section 642.2.4 and:
(a) If Heritage Kitchener unanimously recommends consent to the Part IV
application or granting of the permit to the Part V application with or without
conditions that are the same as recommended by Heritage Planning staff, then
the Director shall consent to the Part IV application or grant the permit of the
Part V application; or
(b) if Heritage Kitchener recommends that a Part IV or Part V application be
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KITCHENER 642.6 JANUARY 2026
refused, or consented to or permit granted with or without condition(s) that are
different than those recommended by Heritage Planning staff, or be consented
to or granted without unanimous recommendation of approval, then Council
shall retain decision making power on the Part IV or Part V application.
Article 3
GENERAL PROVISIONS
642.3.1 Referral – to Council – for any reason
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, the Director may refer any Part IV
application and any Part V application to Council at any time.
642.3.2 Delegation of authority to request information
Council delegates to the Director all of the power that Council has to request such
information as Council may require from the owner respecting a Part IV application and
a Part V application.
642.3.3 Delegation of authority to extend timelines
Council delegates to the Director all of the power that Council has to agree in writing with
the property owner to the extension of any time limit under the Act, or agree that any time
limit does not apply within which Council must make a decision under the Act for any of
the following:
(a) The exception to prescribed event in subsection 29(1.2) of the Act;
(b) The prescribed circumstances to subsection 29(8)1 of the Act;
(c) An application made under section 32 of the Act;
(d) An application made under section 33 of the Act;
(e) An application made under section 42 of the Act; and
(f) As may be otherwise permitted or prescribed under the Act.
Article 4
SEVERABILITY
642.4.1 Validity
It is hereby declared that each and every foregoing Sections of this Chapter is severable
and that, if any provisions of this Chapter should for any reason be declared invalid by
any Court, it is the intention and desire of Council that each and every of the then
remaining provisions hereof shall remain in full force and effect.
Article 5
GENERAL
642.5.1 Effective Date and Repeal of Previous By-law
This By-law shall come into effect on the date of its passing, and By -law No. 2009-089
shall be repealed on the date that this By-law comes into effect.
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KITCHENER 642.7 JANUARY 2026
642.5.2 Municipal Code
The Clerk of the City is hereby directed to make this by-law a part of The City of Kitchener
Municipal Code by adding it to the Concordance and arranging and numbering it so as to
fit within the scheme of the Code.
Enactment: By-law 2025-156, 15 December 2025.