Heritage Designations
Heritage designation is an important step in recognizing and celebrating resources that are valued by Londoners. The Ontario Heritage Act enables municipalities to designate properties to be of cultural heritage value or interest.
Register of Cultural Heritage Resources
The Register of Cultural Heritage Resources records the status of all cultural heritage resources in London, including heritage listed properties (non-designated), individually designated heritage properties, and properties designated as part of a Heritage Conservation District.
To include a non-designated property on the Register of Cultural Heritage Resources, it must meet at least one of the criteria of Ontario Regulation 9/06: Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest. Following consultation with the Community Advisory Committee on Planning, City Council may add non-designated properties to the Register of Cultural Heritage Resources. A non-designated property may remain on the Register of Cultural Heritage Resources for up to two years.
No Heritage Alteration Permit approval is required for alterations to a building or structure on a heritage listed property (non-designated). However, there is a formal review process and complete application requirements for a demolition or removal request for a building or structure on a heritage listed property (non-designated). Please contact a Heritage Planner for more information.
Learn more about the Register of Cultural Heritage Resources.
Use CityMap to interactively explore the Register of Cultural Heritage Resources, including heritage listed properties, individually designated heritage properties, and Heritage Conservation Districts in London.
Designating Individual Properties
A municipality may designate an individual property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act if it is determined to meet two or more criteria of Ontario Regulation 9/06: Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest.
During the heritage designation process, the Community Advisory Committee on Planning is consulted and a decision to issue Notice of Intent to Designate is made by City Council. A property owner may object to a Notice of Intent to Designate or may appeal the passage of the heritage designating by-law to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
The heritage designating by-law must explain the property’s cultural heritage value or interest and identify the property’s heritage attributes.
Some individually designated heritage properties are marked by a blue City of London Heritage Property plaque.
Heritage Alteration Permit approval is required for any alteration likely to affect any of the property’s heritage attributes as identified in the heritage designating by-law. Learn more about the Heritage Alteration Permit application process.
Designating Heritage Conservation Districts
A municipality may designate a group of properties together under Section 41 of the Ontario Heritage Act as a Heritage Conservation District if it is determined that at least 25% of the group of properties meets two or more of the criteria of Ontario Regulation 9/06: Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest in a Heritage Conservation District Study initiated by direction of City Council.
If a group of properties meets the criteria for designation as a Heritage Conservation District, following consultation with the Community Advisory Committee on Planning, City Council may direct the preparation of a Heritage Conservation District Plan. Following public consultation, City Council may designate a group of properties as a Heritage Conservation District with a heritage designating by-law. The passage of a heritage designating by-law may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
Heritage Conservation Districts in London are marked by special street signs: blue background with white text and a decorative top.
Learn more about London's Heritage Conservation Districts.
Heritage Alteration Permit approval is required for alterations based on the Classes of Alteration identified in each Heritage Conservation District Plan. Learn more about the Heritage Alteration Permit application process.