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We all love statistics, especially when they’re moving in the right direction.

Artscape Youngplace, a culture hub on Shaw Street, Toronto

Picking up from last time:

The City of Toronto and the province are joining forces to address the tax squeeze in which a number of Toronto properties find themselves.

You’ve surely heard of 401 Richmond? The building at 401 Richmond Street West at the corner of Spadina Avenue in downtown Toronto has been making news for a while now — and not in a good way.

A historical etching of the Macdonald Manufacturing Company

In  late last year I signaled that OHA+M would be relocating to the website of U��ݮ��Ƶ’s Heritage Resources Centre.  Well, c’est arrivé!

As for 2018, here are some things to watch for. 

The Trudeau government’s reaction to the ENVI report

Happy New Year!

Since everyone else is doing it — ruminating on the old year left behind and prognosticating on the one just launched — I suppose I should too.

For 2017, here are my top three heritage highlights. 

Steve Otto’s appointment to the Order of Canada

Just as the year ended, long-time heritage stalwart Steve Otto received the county’s highest accolade. The citation for his appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada reads:

Sacrificial lamb: someone or something that suffers so that someone or something more important can succeed  ~ Macmillan Dictionary

Suffers — or in the case of Bill C-323, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (rehabilitation of historic property) — dies.

Today, there’s good news and bad news.  Well, I’ve already told you the bad news.

Today, it’s all about the blog.

I don’t often get to toot my own horn, but… drum roll please. 

Just a few weeks ago in mid-late October, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI) took up detailed consideration of Bill C-323. This is the private member’s bill we’ve been following that would provide income tax incentives for heritage property.^[1]

We’ve been following Bill C-323 — legislation to provide income tax incentives for heritage property, which has been referred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development but not yet taken up.^{[1����}

Presumably in part to give them context for the coming Bill C-323 debate, the committee is currently in the midst of a milestone study on “Heritage Preservation and Protection in Canada.”