By Claude & Parth on 2026-04-10, City: Kitchener, View Transcript
Heritage Kitchener met to consider a proposed provincial grant program linking heritage conservation to housing creation, along with several designation and permit items. The committee endorsed the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario’s request for a “Heritage Helping Housing” program funded at $10 million per year, and approved multiple heritage designations, including a notice of intention to designate 8–24 King Street East, described by staff as “the oldest building uh in downtown Kitchener.” The committee also approved a heritage permit for an accessory building replacement at 11 Maynard Avenue and advanced several designations tied to Bill 23 Municipal Heritage Register requirements.
The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) asked the committee to support a provincial grant program intended to help convert heritage buildings into housing units. Dan Schneider, Chair of ACO’s policy committee, framed the request as a response to perceptions that heritage rules block housing: “It’s about changing the narrative, the incorrect narrative, the somewhat insidious narrative. That heritage is bad. Is bad for housing.”
ACO said it is “asking for $10 million a year,” describing the program as aimed at “the property owner and the small scale smalltime developer,” rather than large developers. ACO also emphasized the funding would be tied to housing outcomes: “This is not for maintaining somebody’s old house. It’s for creating new housing units.” A staff member advised that, if the committee supported the concept, its motion could simply indicate support for including the $10 million in the provincial budget, with details to be developed later: “…if Heritage Kitchener…was in support of…the inclusion of the $10 million in the provincial budget to create this program, that’s all that you would really have to indicate your support for…tonight.”
The committee passed a motion endorsing the proposal and directing correspondence to the Premier and relevant ministers, with one member opposed.
The committee unanimously approved publishing a notice of intention to designate 8–24 King Street East (American Hotel/American Block) under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. In presenting the item, staff said “it is the oldest building uh in downtown Kitchener,” and added that “The building’s history helps tell the story of and contributes to an understanding of the economic development um in Kitchener.”
The committee approved a heritage permit application (HPA 2026-50006) for 11 Maynard Avenue to demolish an existing detached accessory building and replace it with a new structure. Staff concluded the existing building was not a heritage contributor: “The existing detached accessory building does not contribute to the heritage value of the property, and the demolition…will not detract from the heritage value of the property, the character of the district, or the integrity of the Maynard Avenue streetscape.” Staff also noted a design change during review: “The portico has been removed from the list of attributes.”
The committee approved designation of 1254 Union Street after previous deferrals to allow discussions with the owner and their consultant. Heritage planning staff reported the property “meets five out of the nine criteria for designation as the property has designed physical, historical, associative, and contextual values.” As part of the designation approach, staff removed certain elements from the protected attributes list.
The committee reviewed properties under Bill 23 Municipal Heritage Register requirements and unanimously approved designation for five properties: 29 Shanley Street, 285 Simcoe Street, 1970 Fischer Hallman Road, 87 Margaret Avenue, and 304 Louisa Street. For the former schoolhouse property, staff noted: “The school had its largest enrollment in 1894 with 45 students, most of whom were from Scottish families.”
The transcript did not include a complete attendance list. Participants identified in the meeting record included: