Heritage listing versus designation

Listing a property on the heritage register gives limited heritage protection. It provides a delay of up to 60 days before a listed building can be demolished (compared to 10 days for most buildings). It doesn’t require an owner to get heritage approval for alterations.

Designation confers legal status on a property with a city bylaw under the Ontario Heritage Act and gives council the power to refuse an application that will hurt the property’s heritage attributes.