Heritage Conservation Toolbox

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The heritage conservation toolbox is your source for information, policies and guidelines for cultural heritage resource conservation in Waterloo Region. It has been developed to support heritage property owners, municipal staff and the public in efforts to conserve cultural heritage in the region. The toolbox is a work in progress and will evolve as new resources and information become available or are developed.

Resources for heritage property owners

Practical Conservation Guides for Heritage Properties

The following resources offer conservation tips for heritage property owners:

To provide feedback on these guides, please contact Roxanna Nazarowicz at RNazarowicz@regionofwaterloo.ca

Ontario Heritage Trust: Well-preserved: The Ontario Heritage Foundation's manual of Principles and Practice for Architectural Conservation

The National Trust for Canada: Help for Homeowners

Parks Canada: Building Resilience: Practical Guidelines for the Retrofit and Rehabilitation of Buildings in Canada

Architectural Conservancy Ontario (ACO): ACO North Waterloo Region Directory of Heritage Practitioners

Old House Journal Online: Repairs and How-To

National Park Service's Technical Preservation Services: Preservation Briefs

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB): Advice for Homeowners

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)'s Guides for Taking Care of Your Personal Heritage: Caring for your treasures

Stylistic information

Ted Ray's inventory of architectural styles of eastern Canada: A Field Guide to Building Watching

Ontario's building styles and architectural terms highlighted in this non-profit educational website: Ontario Architecture

Energy efficiency

Canada's Historic Places Heritage Conservation brief (2007): Durability and Energy Efficiency

REEP Green Solutions is a local provider of home energy efficiency services and host of multiple community projects: REEP Green Solutions

One of REEP Green Solutions' community projects is the REEP House for Sustainable Living located in Kitchener, which provides workshops and weekly tours of the energy efficient heritage home: REEP House for Sustainable Living, CMHC Case Study

Professional resources

Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP): CAHP Directory of Professionals
Architectural Conservancy Ontario (ACO): Preservation Works!
ACO: North Waterloo Region Directory of Heritage Practitioners
Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI): CCI Library
Heritage Resources Centre, University of Waterloo: Canadian Built Heritage Research Inventory
Carleton University School of Canadian Studies' Heritage Conservation Resource List: General Readings and References
Preservation Directory: Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Links Guide

Conservation incentives

Waterloo Region Heritage Foundation

The Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation funding program is the primary cultural heritage conservation financial support tool in the region. Owners of properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, protected by a conservation easement agreement or a Historic Site designation, can receive grants for the restoration of their heritage property.

Grant

REEP Green Solutions

REEP will service eligible Union Gas customers who chose to participate in the Home Reno Rebate program. To participate in the program, a customer must own a single, detached residential property built in 1994 or earlier in Waterloo Region. Eligible individuals can participate on a first come, first serve basis, and receive a maximum rebate of $2,500 for energy efficient home renovations.

Union Gas Home Reno Rebate

City of Kitchener

Conservation grants are available to owners of properties in Kitchener that are designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Eligible projects may receive a grant to cover half the costs of projects, with a minimum cost of $500 and maximum of $3,000.

Heritage Funding

A tax refund program is available owners of property designated under the Ontario Heritage Act (individually under Part IV or within a conservation district under Part V), or a property subject to a conservation easement agreement with the City of Kitchener or the Ontario Heritage Trust, or a maintenance agreement with the City.

Tax Refunds

The City of Kitchener biannually presents up to four awards to individuals, property owners, businesses, organizations and institutions that have contributed to the conservation of the city's cultural heritage resources.

Mike Wagner Heritage Awards

City of Cambridge

The Heritage Grant Program is available to owners of property in Cambridge designated under Part IV or Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Applications to the program are reviewed by the City's Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC).

Heritage Grant Program

City of Waterloo

Eligible property owners and tenants in the uptown area can receive grants for various renovation projects as part of the Community Improvement Plan (CIP).

Uptown Façade Improvement Grant (CIP) Program

Overview:

The purpose of the grant is to improve appearance of streetscape and buildings, and conserve heritage features
City and UpTown BIA grants are matched to funding from the applicant
Heritage designation grant does not require matching funds

Contact the Economic Development Office at 519-465-5501 or cip@waterloo.ca to learn more.

Heritage Organizations

National

Provincial

Local

Policies, planning and guidelines

National Initiatives

Provincial Initiatives

Local Projects and Initiatives

Please note that these resources and references are not all-inclusive and will be continually updated. The contents of this list are not recommendations or endorsements made by the Region of Waterloo. Please advise us if any external links do not work, as websites may go offline without notice.