On November 28, 2024, Staff brought forward a Final report to the Toronto Preservation Board recommending that the Board endorse staff’s recommendation that the Weston (Phase 2) Heritage Conservation District Study not proceed to the Plan Phase because the study area does not meet the provincial criteria to merit Part V designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Although City staff have concluded that the Weston (Phase 2) HCD study area does not merit conservation through an HCD Plan, there are 18 properties that individually merit further research and evaluation to determine their cultural heritage value or interest. These properties were all constructed prior to 1910 and are contextually related to the early development history of the former Village of Weston. All the properties also have design or physical value as rare, unique, representative or early examples of an architectural style, and some have historical or associative value for their associations with a prominent former resident of Weston. As a collection of properties, they provide an overall understanding of the area’s history and heritage character.
The Weston (Phase 2) Heritage Conservation District Study area is a primarily residential neighbourhood with a collection of houses in a variety of architectural styles built from the mid-19th through the mid-20th centuries located in the former Town of Weston.
The City Planning Division initiated the Weston (Phase 2) Heritage Conservation District Study in Summer 2019. After a brief pause, the project was reinitiated in the Fall of 2023. Heritage Planning staff prepared the study report recommendation for consideration by the Toronto Preservation Board which was presented November 28, 2024.
The study built on work previously completed by the local community, and included a comprehensive property inventory, historical research, character analysis, evaluation of the area’s heritage value, and review of the area’s existing planning framework. The study process included two public meetings, as well as the convening of a community advisory group to provide specific and detailed feedback on research, analysis and recommendations.
The study area is a residential neighbourhood generally bounded by the CNP/CPR Rail Corridor to the west, MacDonald Avenue to the south, Elm Street to the east and Church Street to the north.
On January 1, 2023, several key changes to the Ontario Heritage Act came into effect, including amendments to Section 41 that establish new criteria under which properties within a Heritage Conservation District must be evaluated. At least 25 per cent of the properties within the District boundary must satisfy two or more of the nine criteria listed in O.Reg. 9/06 s.3. City staff are reviewing the Weston (Phase 2) HCD Study to determine if it meets this minimum threshold.
The Weston (Phase 2) HCD Study was initiated by City Planning in June 2019 to determine whether to proceed with an HCD Plan for the area. The final report with recommendation was presented to the Toronto Preservation Board on November 28, 2024and completing the HCD Study.
As of January 2025, staff are now proceeding with research and evaluation of the 18 properties identified that merit further research and evaluation to determine their cultural interest or value will be added to the City’s Heritage Register. Property owners will contacted prior to their property prior to finalizing the staff report going to the Toronto Preservation Board and being added to the Heritage Register by Council.
Public meetings and community advisory group meetings are listed below. Material from the meetings, including presentations, display boards and meeting summaries, can be requested from Heritage Planning.
The Toronto Preservation Board endorsed item PB25.8 – Weston (Phase 2) Heritage Conservation District Study – Final Report on November 28, 2024. The Board endorse staff’s recommendation that the Weston Study not proceed to the Plan Phase because the study area does not meet the provincial criteria to merit Part V designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The third Community Advisory Group meeting was held on September 11, 2024. The meeting was in-person at the Weston Toronto Public Library branch. Staff presented the rationale for not proceeding to an HCD Plan Phase for the Weston (Phase 2) Study.
Community Advisory Group Meeting #3
The second Community Advisory Group meeting was held on November 10, 2020. This meeting was held in a virtual format and the discussion was based on a package of materials (Part A) that were sent to the members in advance of the meeting (Part B) which was a guided discussion facilitated by LURA Consulting. The materials presented in the package included an update on the HCD Study schedule, a Revised Historical Context Statement, the Preliminary Survey Results Mapping and the discussion questions to guide the meeting on November 10. One to two more Community Advisory Group meetings will be held with this group throughout the HCD Study process, in addition to a Community Consultation with the larger community.
Community Advisory Group #2 Meeting Summary
The first Community Advisory Group meeting was held in two parts on July 22 and August 10, 2020. These two meetings were held in a virtual format with the first meeting being for the purpose of staff and the facilitation consultant, LURA Consulting, to provide a presentation to the members. The second portion of the meeting held on August 10 was for the purposes of having a discussion based on questions presented by city staff. The materials presented and then discussed included the HCD Plan process, value criteria and an overview of the historic context of the area. Additional meetings will be held with this group throughout the HCD Study process.
Community Advisory Group #1 Meeting Summary (Part 1)
Community Advisory Group #1 Meeting Summary (Part 2)
An additional open house for the Weston (Phase 2) HCD Study was held on January 18, 2020 at Artscape Weston Common. This meeting was held due to the premature ending of the first open house meeting resulting from a facilities emergency. This meeting provided a further opportunity for community members to meet the project team, ask questions regarding the study process and provide feedback to inform the study. Material presented at the open house can be downloaded below:
The first open house for the Weston (Phase 2) HCD Study was held on November 4, 2019 at Artscape Weston Common. This meeting provided an opportunity for community members to meet the project team, ask questions regarding the study process and provide feedback to inform the study. The meeting prematurely ended due to a facilities emergency at the venue. Material presented at the open house can be downloaded below:
Study information, reports and publications will be listed below as they become available over the course of the Weston (Phase 2) Heritage Conservation District Study.
On May 18, 19 and 20, 2004 City Council authorized the Weston neighbourhood for study as a potential Heritage Conservation District.
On June 24, 2004 City Council approved the Weston Phase 1 HCD Plan, enacted through By-law 798-2006 on September 27, 2006. The corresponding HCD Plan for Weston Phase 1 divided the authorized study areas into 3 phases.
On March 31, April 1 and 2, 2015, City Council adopted the amended Council-approved prioritization system and criteria, as shown in Attachments 1A-6A to the report.
On January 15, 2018 the Planning and Growth Management Committee put forward a motion to review a proposed expansion to the study area to include the area bounded by Elm Street, Springmount Avenue, Macdonald Avenue, Pine Street and Church Street prior to commencing the Weston Phase 2 Heritage Conservation District Study. Staff were further requested to bring forward a study authorization report to revise the study area boundary should the area merit study as a heritage conservation district, no later than the first quarter of 2019.
The City Planning Division reviewed the proposed expanded boundary, and have determined that the study area should not be expanded beyond the area originally prioritized by City Council. Therefore, the HCD Study will be proceeding for the original prioritized Phase 2 area.
On November 28, 2024, Staff brought forward a report to the Toronto Preservation Board recommending that the Board endorse staff’s recommendation that the Weston Study not proceed to the Plan Phase because the study area does not meet the provincial criteria to merit Part V designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The Staff presentation can be viewed on the Council & Committee Meetings website under the Final report item.
A video recording of the presentation and meeting can be found on the Toronto Preservation Board website.
The Weston (Phase 2) HCD Study is being completed in accordance with Heritage Conservation Districts in Toronto: Policies, Procedures and Terms of Reference as adopted by City Council.
Section 3.1.6 of the City of Toronto’s Official Plan includes policies that direct the City to identify, protect and conserve heritage conservation districts within the City.
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport created the Guide to District Designation under the Ontario Heritage Act to inform the identification, study and implementation of heritage conservation districts in Ontario.
Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act allows municipalities to designate heritage conservation districts.