Heritage Site Designation in Vancouver: An Overview
Who is involved?
- The City of Vancouver Council is the ultimate authority in establishing heritage protection through by-laws and resolutions (City of Vancouver, 2020).
- The Director of Planning identifies, evaluates, and manages heritage properties. This includes considering factors for heritage character or value, ordering heritage inspections, requiring impact assessments for developments affecting protected heritage property, and having the authority to withhold permits for actions that could alter heritage property (City of Vancouver, 2020).
- The Vancouver Heritage Commission (VHC) endorses applications for the Vancouver Heritage Register (VHR) (City of Vancouver, 2015).
- The Vancouver Heritage Advisory Board (VHAB) advises on controls and guidelines for historic areas (Falkner, 1977).
When did this system develop?
- The Vancouver Heritage Inventory was established in 1986 and adopted as the Vancouver Heritage Register (VHR) in 1994 (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
- The Vancouver Heritage Program (VHP) was approved by City Council in 2020 (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
- The VHR Policy was updated in 2024, to emphasize values-based and equitable approaches to heritage management (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
What types of designations exist?
- The Vancouver Heritage Register (VHR) is a list of historic places identified by the City as formally having heritage value (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
- Heritage Conservation Areas are areas designated in the Vancouver Charter by an official development plan where the collective identity has heritage value (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
- Historic Area (HA) Zones are zones with specific design guidelines to protect the heritage character of an area (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
- Heritage Revitalization Agreements (HRA) are agreements for the conservation of heritage sites (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
- Heritage Restoration Covenants are covenants of protection registered on the property title at the Land Title Office (City of Vancouver, 2024b).
- The Director of Planning can issue orders for temporary heritage protection under the Vancouver Charter (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
How does the designation process work?
- Properties with potential heritage value undergo identification through surveys, community input, or by city staff (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
- A Heritage Evaluation Methodology is used to evaluate the heritage values of a place, considering its historical context, physical attributes, and community input (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
- Heritage planning staff formulate a statement summarizing the heritage value and recommend whether or not to add the property to the VHR (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
- The recommendation is presented to the VHC for endorsement (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
- Applications endorsed by the VHC are presented to City Council, which must approve additions to or removals from the VHR by resolution (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
- Once a property is designated or listed, it becomes subject to various policies and regulations, and comes under municipal protection and management (City of Vancouver, 2024a).
References
City of Vancouver. (2015). Heritage Procedure By-law No. 11350.
City of Vancouver. (2020). Vancouver Heritage Program. Planning, Urban Design & Sustainability.
Falkner, A. (1977). Without Our Past? A Handbook for the Preservation of Canada’s Architectural Heritage. University of Toronto Press.
Vancouver Heritage Register. (2024a). Heritage Evaluation Methodology. City of Vancouver.
Vancouver Heritage Register. (2024b). Policy. City of Vancouver.