Cultural heritage master plan adopted at planning meeting

Administrator | Aug 23, 2026 | Comments 0

By Sharon Harrison
At its recent planning and development committee meeting, council voted to adopt the County Cultural Heritage Master Plan now three years in the making as it has undergone revision and extensive public consultation.

Council also agreed to support a proposed work plan as a framework to advance cultural heritage priorities which outlines a timeframe, staffing and financial resources. It is, however, subject to operational considerations and available resources.

The master plan makes 21 recommendations to strengthen heritage conservation and planning capacity across the County, with 13 considered high priority, five considered medium priority, and three recommendations at low priority.

Scott Pordham, policy co-ordinator, noted in his report that the master plan establishes a long-term approach to implementing the County’s heritage conservation strategy and guiding the identification, management and conservation of cultural heritage resources across Prince Edward County.

“Its recommendations address policy and guidance, financial incentives, training and capacity building, and the identification and evaluation of potential cultural heritage landscapes and other cultural heritage resources.”

Planning staff have reviewed the recommendations and are generally supportive of their intent, said Pordham.

“However, the timing and approach to implementation will need to consider departmental operational requirements, available staff capacity, financial resources and other corporate priorities,” he said.

Pordham said the work plan envisions a two-phased approach, with the first to include tasks that can begin in the second half of this year, including in particular, those items that require budgetary requests for the 2027 budget, as well as official plan amendments.

“Phase two of the work plan focuses more on the designation of culture heritage landscapes and that is work that would carry through the beginning of 2027, probably for a good chunk of 2027.” Thirty-four potential cultural heritage landscapes have been identified.

“Certainly, staff in developing this work plan recognize that it’s going to be a work plan that has to be somewhat fluid and responsive to some of the decisions as council will have a number of decisions to make,” said Pordham.

“It’s been quite a project and I think we have come to a very good result,” said councillor John Hirsch. “You can consider it quite high praise when our friends from APPEC (Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County), the heritage conservancy and the heritage advisory committee itself, all think that we have a really good master plan now.”

Two members of the public provided comment, including Liz Driver who was speaking on behalf of the Prince Edward Heritage Conservancy, stating they strongly support the adoption of the master plan and the work plan.

“We were delighted to see the Cultural Heritage Master Plan return to this committee with the last stage of public comment integrated with a work plan for implementation,” expressed Driver. “The work plan provides a sound rationale and timeframe for the steps needed to achieve the high priority recommendations.”

Driver said it has been more than two years since council launched the project, “and the public responded enthusiastically, especially to the focus on landscapes, and all of this public input has been captured by the consultants – it is a wonderful thing actually”.

“If it is approved today, the master plan and the work plan will be crucial documents to advancing the County’s cultural heritage priorities,” she added.

One high priority recommendation indicates the retention of a dedicated municipal heritage planner to lead cultural heritage initiatives, provide professional guidance and review development applications (estimated at $150,000 annually in salary and benefits). The plan also recommends establishing a roster of two to three qualified cultural heritage firms or specialists to provide expert heritage advice on an as-needed basis.

Gord Gibbins, the chair of APPEC, also spoke to the master plan and work plan, indicating APPEC’s endorsement of its approval.

“This council had the foresight to start this process, it should be the council to approve it,” said Gibbins.

Referring to the work plan, Gibbins said as drafted, “it commits to no expenditures this term”. He also disagreed with staff’s position to hire a heritage planner.

“If a planning staff review is currently underway, surely this is the time to consider a heritage planner, not necessarily an increase in staff, but a position to fill a planner vacancy or a split responsibility doing other planning work as well”.

He also spoke to the committee structure of the heritage advisory committee where he indicated that the revised terms of the reference should be decided on prior to the new committee’s being appointed.

“At this point, I would emphasize that the heritage advisory committee’s submission with respect to the cultural heritage master plan recommend heritage be returned to its own committee for effectiveness and better appeal for applicants that can administer the Ontario Heritage Act.”

“What needs to be done for heritage advancement needs to be done by people well qualified, so that’s why the point about the heritage planner, that’s why we need a dedicated committee to actually do what is required under the Ontario Heritage Act,” shared Gibbins.

The purpose of the plan is to build on the County’s heritage conservation strategy and official plan, which recognize heritage as a core value and strategic priority.

It outlines the key recommended actions to conserve cultural heritage resources in Prince Edward County, and has been prepared following extensive background and research, data review, public engagement, and consultation with key indigenous groups and other community stakeholders.

“The plan provides an opportunity to assess the municipality’s existing heritage policies, programs, processes and resources; identify opportunities for improvement; and establish priorities to guide heritage conservation over the longer term,” said Pordham.

The 199-page Prince Edward County Cultural Heritage Master Plan, the work plan, along with related documentation, can be found on the Aug. 19 planning and development committee meeting agenda, found on the County’s website, along with the meeting recording.