No topic was too unimportant or miniscule for Coun. Erwin Wiens at this year’s Association of Municipalities Ontario conference — but one issue that’s been top of mind for some NOTLers this year, the town’s heritage assets, did make it onto the agenda.

Wiens, along with some Niagara-on-the-Lake municipal staff, were in Ottawa from Aug. 18 to 21 for the annual conference of cities and towns from across the province, and participated in key delegations.

They took part in seven delegations with a focus on heritage designation, affordable housing, irrigation systems, invasive species, infrastrucutre and tourism.

Wiens told The Lake Report the town has a certain amount of funding that is needed from the province annually and oftentimes as a small town, NOTL doesn’t qualify.

“We just wanted to bring (these issues) to attention. We’ve gotten good traction over the years and we hope to continue,” he said.

Every topic discussed at the conference was important, Wiens said, but a discussion they had with Michael Ford, citizenship and multiculturalism minister, surrounding heritage came to mind first.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, like several municipalities across Ontario, has been working on a deadline to designate places on its register of properties of heritage interest that aren’t officially designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

This process started in November 2022, when the province passed Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, which introduced changes to the heritage act.

Cities and town have until 2027 to deal with these non-designated properties before they’re automatically removed from the register.

“We continued talking with Minister Ford in regard to our heritage — heritage buildings and increasing our heritage coverage,” he said.

Designation under the Ontario Heritage Act provides more robust protection for properties of historical, cultural and/or architectural interest to the town.

Another aspect of preserving NOTL’s heritage assets in consideration, as Wiens highlighted, is expanding the town’s heritage district so that more lands and properties are protected.

In addition to discussing heritage, Wiens said the town highlighted what has been done so far in regard to heritage and the local irrigation infrastructure in need of continued funding.

Among other things, Wiens said tourism was also discussed, along with funding for the Niagara District Airport.

“There were huge opportunities there that we’re working on to get major funding and major assistance from the province in helping us out going forward,” he said.

Looking forward after the August conference, Wiens said in the long term residents can expect an expansion of the heritage district and in the short term, funding for irrigation infrastructure. 

Wiens said that all in all, it was a very productive meeting.

“Working with the provincial government is so important as we move the town forward with any major improvements,” he said.