The County and Prince Edward Community Partners, the company that owns Base31, are negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding to regulate the development of its historically significant buildings. 

The agreement, still underway, establishes which buildings are listed in the County’s heritage registry, and creates Terms of Reference for their adaptive-reuse. 

Listed buildings do not have official heritage designation under the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). In 2022, the More Homes Built Faster Act, also known as Bill 23, imposed a two-year timeline for municipalities to designate their listed properties under the OHA. 

In response, the County established the Heritage Designation Working Group, a task force within the Built and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee. The Committee agreed to allow the “listed” status of  Base31’s buildings to lapse within the timeframe rather than officially designate them as heritage buildings.

Instead, the negotiated MOU between the County and the Base will protect their heritage outside a formal designation. 

Meanwhile, Bill 200 extends the deadline for properties to remain listed until January 1, 2027. 

“The County has no regulatory authority beyond that point. It’s gone entirely,” said Steve Willis of Stantec Consulting, the firm hired by the County to consult on heritage assessment at Base31.

The draft Terms of Reference apply to alterations that will affect at least 30 percent of a listed building’s exterior. When such renovations are proposed, the draft ToR requires an adaptive reuse strategy brief, including a description of the project, images, and a rationale. The brief must be completed by a member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals. 

“This is a good faith agreement. They are not required to enter into this agreement,” noted Mr. Willis. 

Unless the County and PEC Community Partners agree to extend it, the MOU will expire when the buildings are delisted in January 2027.

If, during the intervening period, the County decides to designate the properties under the OHA, the memorandum won’t apply. At this time, the County does not intend to designate the buildings. 

“The adaptive reuse approach outlined in the MOU reflects what’s already been happening onsite, and we’re continuing in the same spirit of collaboration through this framework,” said Liz Kohn.

“We’re committed to working with the County over the long term to ensure responsible and respectful development of this important site.”

Mr. Willis attended a meeting of the Built and Cultural Advisory Committee to gather comments from members on the current draft. 

Edwin Rowse, co-founder of ERA architects, said the attributes of each building should be considered during the process, but acknowledged that a Heritage Impact Assessment is not required for the listed buildings. 

“That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be an analysis of the attributes that would be impacted by any of these proposals,” he said. 

Mr. Rowse noted that while a Cultural Heritage Assessment of the entire site has been completed, there is less detail on individual buildings. 

When finalized, the MOU will be an appendix to the Revitalization District plan of subdivision at Base31. It is conditional on Council’s approval of a larger block plan application. Both items come before Council this fall.