Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District Plan Update

Revising our existing Heritage Conservation District Plan

Established in 1981, the Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District is Oakville's first heritage district, and one of the first in Ontario. The district extends from south of Robinson Street to the lakefront and from the Sixteen Mile Creek to Allan Street. The Heritage Conservation District was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board on July 5, 1982 through By-laws 1981-144 and 1982-044.

Since the Old Oakville HCD was established, there have been numerous changes to the Ontario Heritage Act, the heritage legislation that permits municipalities to designate heritage properties and districts. In order to ensure the Old Oakville HCD complies with current heritage practices and legislation, the district study and plan need to be updated.

The town has retained Archaeological Research Associates Ltd. (ARA), in partnership with Dillon Consulting and G. Douglas Valee Ltd., to assist with the update to the Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District Plan.

About the update

The HCD update is being launched in the fall of 2021 and includes two main components:

  1. Updated HCD Study: This is a background document that includes a history of the district, an inventory of its properties and streetscapes and an overview of existing planning policies. The goal is to present an updated HCD Study to Oakville Town Council in early 2023. 
  2. Updated HCD Plan and Guidelines: This document provides the tools and guidelines that are used to manage change in the district. The goal is to update the document in 2023 as part of the public consultation process.

Public consultation will be ongoing and will include public meetings, focus group sessions and email/newsletter updates. Stakeholders can include: residents and property owners; professionals such as architects, planners and real estate agents; the Oakville Lakeside Residents Association; and the heritage community. Feedback from stakeholders is essential in creating an updated Plan and Guidelines that allows us to manage change in an appropriate and efficient manner.

During the HCD update, all properties within the HCD will remain designated under the existing HCD by-laws. To find out the heritage status of a property, use the Heritage Districts & Properties page.

Project status

  • Start: September 2021
  • End: June 2024 (anticipated)

Contact

Susan Schappert, Heritage Planner
Planning Services Department
905-845-6601 ext. 3870

susan.schappert@oakville.ca