Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee

Mandate

The Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee was established by City Council, under the authority of the Ontario Heritage Act for the purpose of identifying sites and structures appropriate for conservation and advising Council on heritage conservation issues.

The Ontario Heritage Act defines the statutory role of municipal heritage committees, but also states that other responsibilities may be assigned to these committees through by-laws passed by the municipal council. The establishment of a municipal heritage committee by municipal by-law enables a municipality to encourage community participation in local heritage conservation. In practice, a heritage committee often has a dual responsibility:

• to the municipality - to advise council on heritage issues (under the Ontario Heritage Act); and, to carry out assigned duties according to the municipal by-law or resolution and procedures established by the municipality;
• to the citizens of the municipality - to help ensure that plans for change and progress be developed in a manner that recognizes the historical continuity of their community; and,
• to be a representative of community interests - the advisory committee is recognized as a legitimate vehicle for coordinating and conveying community concerns. An advisory committee, therefore, plays a very important role by enabling a community to participate more directly in the decision-making process.