Heritage Property Incentives

Explore financial incentive programs that help eligible heritage property owners offset the costs of conserving and maintaining their properties.

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Heritage Designation Plaques

Properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act will be provided with an aluminum plaque following Council’s adoption of the designation by-law to publicly recognize the heritage value of their property.

Financial Support Programs

Heritage Property Funding

The Town offers two financial incentive programs to assist owners of eligible heritage properties with the cost of conservation:

Heritage Property Grant Program
Heritage Property Tax Refund Program

These programs have assisted successful applicants in the conservation of their heritage properties within the Town of Halton Hills.

Heritage Property Grant

Properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act may be eligible for a matching grant of up to $3,000 per year to assist with the conservation of identified heritage attributes, subject to eligibility and available funding through the Heritage Foundation of Halton Hills.

Applications are available online starting in March and accepted annually from April 1 to June 1.

Owners of properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act can receive grants toward the conservation and restoration of heritage features.
Grants are administered through Heritage Halton Hills. Approved applicants may receive up to $3,000 per application, provided the grant is matched by an equal contribution from the property owner or another source.
Funding is subject to availability and may fluctuate from year to year.
All grant-funded work must be completed within 12 months. A single six-month extension may be granted upon written request and committee approval.
New applications will not be accepted until previously approved grant-funded projects for the property have been completed and approved.
Applications are reviewed and formally approved by Town staff in consultation with Heritage Halton Hills. Grant-funded work is also monitored by Town staff in consultation with Heritage Halton Hills.
Grant funds are paid by Heritage Halton Hills to the designated property owner based on receipts for actual project costs and a review of the completed work.

Applicant:	The property owner applying for the grant, or an agent authorized in writing by the owner.
Town:	The Corporation of the Town of Halton Hills.
Designated Heritage Property:	Real property, including buildings, structures and landscape elements, designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.
Heritage Attributes:	The principal features, characteristics, context and appearance that contribute to the cultural heritage value of a designated heritage property.
Maintenance:	Routine, cyclical and non-destructive actions necessary to slow deterioration, including periodic inspection, cleaning, minor repairs and refinishing.
Conservation:	Measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity and materials of a historic property.
Restoration:	Accurately revealing, recovering, replicating or representing the state of a heritage attribute from a particular period in its history while protecting the property's cultural heritage value.

Eligible properties must:

Be located within the Town of Halton Hills; and
Be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, with the designation by-law registered on title; or
Be located within a Heritage Conservation District designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The property cannot be in tax arrears or subject to compliance or enforcement orders under property standards and maintenance by-laws, the Ontario Fire Code or similar requirements.

Designated heritage properties owned by any level of government are not eligible, except where a non-profit community group has assumed responsibility for maintaining the property through a long-term lease or legal agreement. In these cases, the organization may apply.

Eligible projects fall into three general categories

Eligible Projects

New work that directly and appropriately conserves, restores or enhances heritage attributes may be eligible. Eligible costs include labour, materials and equipment.

Grant funding is based on the owner's actual expenses, verified through invoices and receipts. Donated labour and materials are not considered project costs.

Work that preserves, restores or enhances heritage attributes, including repairs to deteriorated original elements such as doors, windows, siding, roofing materials and other significant features.

Reconstruction of heritage attributes that still exist but are beyond conservation or repair. Reconstructions must accurately reproduce the original features using materials, sizes and configurations that match the original.

Restoration of lost heritage attributes where their original appearance can be clearly established through documentary sources specific to the property, such as historic drawings or photographs.

Restoration is appropriate when the property's significance during a particular period in its history outweighs the potential loss of existing materials, spaces, finishes and other attributes.

Work must follow accepted heritage conservation standards identified in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.

A Heritage Permit may also be required for proposed work.

Poor or defective work is not eligible. This includes minor deficiencies that can be corrected, such as paint on adjacent surfaces, as well as significant problems caused by improper techniques or inadequate preparation.

Work on historic buildings requires care and may involve specialized materials and techniques.

Examples of Eligible & Ineligible Work

The following are examples of projects that are not eligible for funding.

Work started or completed before approval.
Projects that do not contribute to the conservation of the property's heritage attributes, including new features or additions.
Aluminum storms and vinyl, aluminum or PVC-clad windows.
Repairs or upgrades required to address non-compliance with property standards, by-laws, regulations or legislation.
Minor repairs and routine household maintenance, such as repairing a broken step or window, general painting, or repairs to non-original siding or roofing materials.
Re-insulating, installing new heating or cooling systems, or other energy-efficiency upgrades.
Driveway paving and repairs.
Exterior painting that is not based on historical research or does not use an appropriate period colour scheme.

The final determination of eligible and ineligible conservation work is at the discretion of Town staff and Heritage Halton Hills.

The following are examples of projects that may be eligible for funding. This is not an exhaustive list:

Architectural and engineering services, feasibility studies and preparation of drawings, only for designated heritage properties managed by non-profit community groups.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of architectural elements such as porches, verandahs, cupolas, columns, brackets, soffits, railings and fascia.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of exterior cladding, including clapboard, wood shingles, pebbledash stucco and board and batten.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of wooden windows.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of original exterior doors.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of wooden storm and screen windows where documentation verifies their historic use.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of original chimneys.
Conservation or replacement of original roofing materials and flashing, including repair or replacement of the roof deck using materials matching the original.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of interior heritage attributes, features, materials and finishes identified in the heritage designation by-law.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of masonry and stonework.
Cleaning of masonry and stone, where necessary, using non-destructive methods and the gentlest appropriate treatment.
Repairs considered critical to stabilizing and preserving the property.
Removal of inappropriate modern materials, such as insulbrick and vinyl or metal siding.
Introduction of a historically appropriate exterior paint colour scheme.
Repair, reconstruction or restoration of fences and outbuildings specifically identified as heritage attributes in the designation by-law.

For houses within the Syndicate Housing Heritage Conservation District, applicable ironwork, masonry and black brick work must follow the recommendations in the October 2012 Building Condition Review by ERA Architects Inc.

Heritage Property Tax Refund

Properties designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act are eligible for an annual refund of 20% of the local, school board, and regional taxes through the Heritage Property Tax Refund Program, subject to eligibility and funding available.

Application is available online starting in December and accepted from January 1 to February 28 annually.