Heritage

Mississippi Mills has a rich cultural and architectural history which gives us a unique sense of place.  Preserving and cultivating our past is an important component to enriching our future.  With many designated and listed properties within the Municipality, it is critical to offering assistance and assurance to property owners in the conservation of buildings and places.

The Municipality provides various tax relief and grant programs to qualifying properties and residents who own a designated or listed property and residents are encouraged to contact the Municipality to find out more information about eligibility and program availability.  

Heritage Designation

Designation is a process under the Ontario Heritage Act that gives a property special status that is registered on property title. It is a means of recognizing cultural heritage value in our communities and preserving it for future generations.

  • RECOGNIZES the importance of a property to the local community

  • PROTECTS the property's cultural heritage value

  • ENCOURAGES good stewardship and conservation

  • PROMOTES knowledge and understanding about the property

Municipalities have a key role to play in conserving places that have cultural heritage value.

For a handout on the benefits of heritage designation, please click on the document below:

Benefits of Heritage Designation for Property Owners

Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act

Individually Designated Heritage Properties

Criteria for Individual Property Designations

 

Map of Almonte

  • An HCD is an area of the municipality that is protected by a municipal by-law passed under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act by Municipal Council. See the map of Mississippi Mills' HCD.

  • HCDs are designated because the areas they protect are considered to be historically or culturally significant and require special care and attention in the planning process to ensure that they are conserved.

  • The Municipality of Mississippi Mills presently has one Heritage Conservation District - the Almonte Heritage Conservation District, approved by Council under By-law 16-61.

  • The purpose of declaring an area as a heritage conservation district is to conserve and enhance the character of the neighbourhood.

  • A heritage conservation district plan guides physical change over time so that any change contributes to the district's historic character.

  • Heritage designations come in the form of a by-law, which is registered on the title of each property within the Heritage Conservation District.

For more information, we encourage you to review the Property Owners Guidelines for the Heritage Conservation District. 

A Heritage Permit is required for any alterations, new construction or demolition to designated heritage properties and to properties located within the Heritage Conservation District.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Planning Department by email or call 613-256-2064 early in their project planning to book a pre-consultation session to discuss Heritage Permit requirements.

Please consult the committee's 2026 submission deadlines and meeting schedule before applying for a heritage permit.

To get started on your Heritage project, please review the heritage guidelines and submit your formal heritage permit application to the Planning Department.

Please note: There is no fee for a Heritage Permit Application.

Along with the District designation comes the ability for the Municipality of Mississippi Mills to
provide grants to property owners of heritage buildings.  The Municipality of Mississippi Mills has created a Heritage Building Restoration Grant to assist property owners within the District in maintaining the historic features of their properties.

Heritage Property Grants Program By-law #23-018 (repeals 09-16)

Application for Heritage Property Grant

Heritage Property Tax Refund By-law #10-89

Application and Information for the Heritage Property Tax Refund Program

Notice of Intention to Designate

Designation By-laws and Appeal Process

For heritage designating by-laws, the appeal process, as per the Ontario Heritage Act, states that any person who objects to the by-law may appeal to the Tribunal by giving the Tribunal and the clerk of the municipality, within 30 days after the date of publication, a notice of appeal setting out the objection to the by-law and the reasons in support of the objection, accompanied by the fee charged by the Tribunal.

Appeals can be sent to the municipal Clerk, Jeanne Harfield, using the following email address: clerk@mississippimills.ca.

Please visit the Ontario Land Tribunal website for more information on how to appeal.

If no notice of appeal is provided within the time period specified, the by-law comes into force and effect following the last day of the appeal period, and will be registered on title by the municipality.

Below you will find a list of designating By-laws currently within the appeal period.

Heritage Week Articles - "Did You Know?"

Heritage Week is a week to celebrate all things heritage, promote awareness of heritage resources, and honour the heritage property owners, organizations, and volunteers that protect our heritage!

Click on the buttons below to read more about each topic:

Day 1

Heritage Week

February 16, 2026

Day 2

Heritage Week

February 17, 2026

Day 3

Heritage Week

February 18, 2026

Day 4

Heritage Week

February 19, 2026

Day 5

Heritage Week

February 20, 2026

June 2026 PIC - Information Boards

A Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on June 22, 2026, presenting information on the Heritage Grants and Tax Program. See below for the information presented, or view information board in a new tab.

Click here to view in new tab

Development Services
Planning and Engineering Department
Almonte Old Town Hall
14 Bridge St, PO Box 400
Almonte ON, K0A1A0

mplanner@mississippimills.ca 
613-256-2064

HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
except on Statutory Holidays

Development Services and Engineering

Click on a button below to visit the other departmental webpages under the Development Services and Engineering department:

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