Priority recommendations in cultural heritage master plan final report

Administrator | Jan 12, 2026 | Comments 1

By Sharon Harrison
The final report of the County’s Cultural Heritage Master Plan (CHMP) provides high, medium and low priorities for existing and future built and cultural heritage.

The plan was posted on the County’s website earlier this month and is open for public review. Residents can also provide input through the County’s Have Your Say engagement platform.

Undertaken by consultants WSP Canada Inc., the plan is intended to help manage and protect the County’s built heritage resources (BHR) and cultural heritage landscapes (CHL).

The County defines BHR as a building, structure, monument, installation or any manufactured remnant that contributes to a property’s cultural heritage value or interest. Whereas CHL are a defined geographical area that may have been modified by human activity, and include features such as structures, spaces, archaeological sites or natural elements that are valued together for their inter-relationship, meaning or association.

The in-depth plan is extensive, and broad in its content, but also offers a thoroughly fascinating snapshot of the County’s deep history and cultural resources, complete with historic and modern-day imagery (some shared here).

“The PEC cultural heritage master plan represents a significant step toward protecting the County’s unique cultural identity and heritage assets,” indicates the final report. “Through extensive historical research, stakeholder collaboration and engagement with Indigenous nations’ rights’ holders, the plan provides a comprehensive framework for identifying, evaluating, and conserving both existing and future built heritage resources and cultural heritage landscapes.”

WSP has provided a summary of recommended priority action items, intended to strengthen heritage conservation and planning capacity across the County. The comprehensive list outlines three categories of low-priority, medium-priority and high-priority items, which includes administrative, policy, programs, outreach, funding and collaboration recommendations, among them.

Low-priority recommendations:
Includes developing context statements for historical settlement areas, enhancing cultural economic development, to conducting periodic reviews of the official plan and developing standardized terms of reference for heritage conservation plans, heritage documentation and salvage plans, and interpretation plans.

As well, among the five recommendations, establishing a dedicated grant program to support climate change resiliency retrofits for designated heritage properties.

Medium-priority recommendations:
This category includes the recommendation to investigate funding opportunities to support digitization of the Historical Architectural Survey of Prince Edward (HASPE) collection to improve access and preservation, maintain and expand the County inventory of potential built heritage and cultural heritage, and undertake preliminary evaluations of inventoried properties.

Additionally, of its five recommendations, prioritize designations in consultation with the built and cultural heritage advisory committee, focusing on areas under development pressure, and engage Indigenous nations’ rights’ holders to identify priorities from Indigenous perspectives.

High-priority recommendations:
Retaining a dedicated municipal heritage planner to lead cultural heritage initiatives, guide built and cultural heritage advisory committee, and review development applications, is the highest priority item of the 13 high-priority recommendations outlined in the report.

“If the County is not able to engage a full-time planner due to budget constraints, then the County should retain two to three qualified cultural heritage firms or specialists on a municipal roster to provide expert heritage advice and support on an as-needed basis,” notes the report.

It is also recommended that a dedicated municipal reserve for heritage conservation be established to ensure sustainable funding for heritage conservation projects and strategic initiatives.

Other high-priority recommendations include undertaking outreach to develop long-term relationships with Indigenous nations’ rights’ holders, and develop a funding program for Indigenous nations’ rights’ holders.

Also for consideration is the revision of the built and cultural heritage advisory committee (BCHAC) terms of reference to include a section for criteria for appointment of heritage committee members, to include the requirement of mandatory training for all appointed members to ensure they can advise on heritage matters.

“Collaborate with the BCHAC heritage designation working group to review the heritage register and prioritize properties for designation, with emphasis on sites of high historical value, under-represented communities, and evolving communities facing development pressure.”

Next steps will see the CHMP come before council for consideration, and ultimate approval, at the planning and development committee meeting scheduled for Feb. 18.

“Successful implementation will depend on continued engagement with community members and Indigenous nations’ rights’ holders, adoption of recommended policy updates and designation processes, commitment to monitoring and refining strategies as new challenges and opportunities arise.”

“This plan reflects our shared responsibility to honour the past while shaping a resilient and culturally-rich future for Prince Edward County.”

Members of the public can view the 185-page Prince Edward County Cultural Heritage Master Plan final report, as well as submit feedback, through Have Your Say at https://haveyoursay.thecounty.ca/cultural-heritage-master-plan, prior to the Jan. 26 deadline.