Professor Robert Shipley, School of Planning, University of Waterloo investigated the sales of 2,707 properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act over the past 20 years in 24 communities in Ontario. He found that:

• 74% of individually designated properties equaled or bettered the average property value trend in the community.
• The rate of sales among individually designated properties was equal to, or greater than, the general rate of sales of properties within their communities.
• Designated properties tend to resist downturns in the ambient market.
• Owners of designated buildings can benefit from expert advice from municipal heritage committees and preservation staff, and they may also be eligible for financial incentives such as grants, special loans and tax relief.

• Heritage conservation and restoration have several advantages over new construction. Many older buildings have unique and desirable features, such as ornate windows and finishes, high ceilings etc. that are prohibitively expensive to create in new buildings. Structural costs on an old building typicallymake up 5 - 12 % of total project costs - half the average expenditure for new construction.

• Old houses were designed and built to last. Retrofitting with modern materials is only a short-term improvement. Modern materials don’t last as long as old materials that are properly maintained and kept in good repair.

• Heritage value comes in many forms. It can be a mansion or a worker’s cottage, a wall or a tree. Criteria and standards exist for establishing the significance of a structure.
• Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Meaning just because one does not know of the history to something doesn’t mean there isn’t any.

• Many famous buildings have been saved when they seem to be far beyond help. The Campbell House, Old City Hall and Union Station would be a few.
• Don’t judge a book by its cover. Houses may show superficial deterioration but be perfectly sound. Get advice from a qualified heritage architect or contractor.

• So does the Tower of London but of course that is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Tragic or illegal events connected to a house does not need to make it undesirable.

• for newcomers and long time residents
• which makes for a safer neighbourhood
• not just in ones house but the street and the whole area
• gives a richer sense of where you live if you know why something has been done

• meant for each area alone
• which takes into account the local history character
• which acknowledges the importance of change balanced with retaining identity, character and key features

• Over 70% of millennium home buyers would prefer an older home
• Local walking tours and house tours showcase the neighbourhood and create interest. People like to see old buildings, big trees, green spaces and places of history.
• 4.75 million visitors went to museums in Ontario in 2014 spending $291.9 million. 71% of millennials enjoy travel experiences which explore the history of an area, such as museums, historic churches and historic neighbourhoods.
• Heritage Preservation complements the production of arts and culture, all of which, in turn, fuels the new creative economy
• Supports specially skilled trades and trades people
• Prevents loss of resources and craftsmanship that cannot be found anymore
• Reports and studies on the effects of HCDs has shown an increase in property values for heritage structures
• Buildings in HCDs maintain their value better than others in a downturn.
• A landmark saved will continue to serve the community as a marker on the cultural chart of human history from one generation to the next.

• People get to know the neighbourhood better and understand why something is the way it is
• Prevents “demolition by neglect” which brings a neighbourhood down

• Collaborative nature of creating an HCD has proven to create stronger neighbourhoods

• The greenest building is the one that is already there, restored properly with as much of its original materials as possible. There are very few buildings that cannot be restored and reused, and in this era of green consciousness, old structures are often sought after.
• Construction and demolition waste make up to 27% of the overall waste stream in Canada. The industry is also the greatest producer of wood waste, making up between 25% and 45% of all solid waste generated in North America.
• Construction accounts for 50% of all the natural resources humans consume. 10% to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions are from the production and transportation of building materials and demolition waste.
• Old buildings don’t only embody history; they embody energy and carbon. Even the plainest brick box, one of no architectural interest, contains carbon in its structure and materials, and energy embodied in its construction.
• HCDs actively help conserve energy. Natural Resources Canada’s Urban Archetypes Project demonstrates that our heritage neighbourhoods and towns use less energy per capita than any other form of housing, because they are walkable communities.
• The materials used in most new constructions require more energy to produce than traditional materials. Rehabilitating a building requires less energy than building a new one, so fewer fossil fuels are wasted and less greenhouse gas is produced.
• Reusing old buildings fosters other green lifestyle choices.
• Saving a building also means saving all the energy that was used to build and maintain it. Demolishing buildings is quite simply a waste of energy.

• Click on the link and go to page 5 to learn about Toronto’s Heritage grant process:
  https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/8b9c-CityPlanning_WestonII_DisplayBoards.pdf

Please follow this link and go to page 4, for some FAQs answered by the City of Toronto.
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/9569-CityPlanning_Weston-CCM2_Boards.pdf