Heritage

Our cultural heritage is what makes us unique. Cultural heritage resources can take many different forms such as:

buildings and structures on individual properties;
streetscapes, landscapes, and heritage conservation districts;
cemeteries and archaeological sites; and
documents, photographs and artifact collections.

Heritage Register

The Town is required to create and maintain the Municipal Heritage Register in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The Heritage Register includes non-designated properties, individually designated properties, and properties located within a Heritage Conservation District.

Heritage Conservation Districts

Heritage Conservation Districts (HCD's) are areas designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The Town currently has two HCD's

Werden's Plan Neighbourhood Conservation District (located in Downtown Whitby)
Brooklin Heritage Conservation District (located in Downtown Brooklin)

For more information regarding the Town's HCD's, view Heritage Conservation Districts.

Heritage Permit Application

A Heritage Permit Application will be required prior to doing any proposed work for properties that are individually designated and properties located within a Heritage Conservation District. To determine whether your property is designated or listed, view the Town's Heritage Register.

Please submit your Heritage Permit Application through our Online Application Portal.

Heritage Permit Tax Rebate Program

To assist private property owners in the on-going maintenance, conservation and restoration of our history and heritage resources, the Town offers a property tax rebate for eligible heritage properties. For more information regarding the rebate, please view our Heritage Property Tax Rebate Program webpage.

Heritage Whitby Advisory Committee

The mandate of the Heritage Whitby Advisory Committee is to advise Council on identifying, conserving and promoting heritage resources in our community.

The committee reviews and makes recommendations to Council on matters under the Ontario Heritage Act. The committee also promotes public awareness of Whitby's cultural heritage and conducts research into cultural heritage resource matters.

Join a historical community groups

If you're interested in learning more about our history, consider joining one of the historical groups:

Whitby archives

Are you studying the history of Whitby and the surrounding area? Visit the Whitby archives located at the Whitby Public Library to view archival materials including:

Historic maps
Newspapers
Photographs

Self-guided walking tours

Looking to learn more about the history of our community? Spend the day taking a self-guided historic walking tour and learn about the economic and architectural history of the area.

Downtown Brooklin

The Downtown Brooklin Self-Guided Walking Tour showcases a diverse selection of traditional architectural styles from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century.

Tour highlights include:

3 Cassels Rd. E.
24 Princess St.
11 Princess St.
15 Princess St.
23 Princess St.
19 Cassels Rd. E. – Wesleyn Methodist Church
25 Cassels Rd. E. – Brooklin Brick Mill
42 Cassels Rd. E. – Hunter-Darlington House
45 Cassels Rd. E. – Christian Bible Church
57 Cassels Rd. E.
33 Duke St.
101 Winchester Rd. E.

Four corners neighbourhood

The Four Corners Neighbourhood Self-Guided Walking Tour focuses on the commercial centre of Downtown Whitby. Located at the intersection of Brock St. and Dundas St. the tour explores commercial architecture in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Tour highlights include:

200 Brock St. S.
201 Brock St. S.
104-116 Brock St. S.
101 Brock St. S. – Dominion Bank
405 Dundas St. W. – Whitby Public Library and Celebration Square
132 Dundas St. W. – Old Whitby Public Library
122-124 Dundas S. W.
106 Dundas St. W.
100-108 Brock St. N.
121 Brock St. N.
122 Brock St. N.
173 Brock St. N.

Port Whitby neighbourhood

The Port Whitby Self-Guided Walking Tour provides an overview of one of the communities that formed the original Town of Whitby in 1885. Focusing on the port area, this tour looks at early industry in Whitby centered around shipping staple goods to markets in Canada and the United States.

Tour highlights include:

269 Water St. – Old Pump House
100 Water St. – Nip and Tuck Rail Line
134 Front St. E.
1751 Dufferin St. – McAllen-Goldring House
1733 Dufferin St. – Watson/Galbraith House
1604 Dufferin St. – Former St. John's Church Rectory
1516 Dufferin St. – Dufferin Street School
150 Victoria St. E. – St. John's Anglican Church
1601 Brock St. S. – James Cameron House
1450 Henry St. – Station Gallery
301 Watson St. W. – Port Whitby Marina
299 Front St. W. – Captain James Rowe House

Perry's plan neighbourhood

The Perry's Plan Neighbourhood Self-Guided Walking Tour takes you through historic residential neighbourhoods in Downtown Whitby.

Tour highlights include:

300 Dundas St. W. – All Saints Anglican Church
110 Centre St. N.
120 and 122 Centre St. N.
300 Mary St. W.
305 Centre St. N.
306 Centre St. N.
311 Byron St. N.
300 Byron St. N.
210 Byron St. N.
206 Byron St. N.
207 Byron St. N.
202 Byron St. N.

Werden's plan neighbourhood

The Werden's Plan Neighbourhood Self-Guided Walking Tour focuses on one of the historic residential neighbourhoods in Whitby.

Tour highlights include:

200 Colburne St. W.
301 Centre St. S.
408 Byron St .S.
508 Byron St. S.
918 Centre. St. S.
601 Centre St. S.
616 King St.
600 King St.
230 St. John St. W.
400 St. John St. W.
416 Centre St. S. – Centennial Building
404 Dunlop St. W.

Additional heritage resources

Ontario Heritage Act
Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture – Archaeological Assessments
Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Terms of Reference
Heritage Building Specialist Reference Guide
Submission Requirements for a Notice of Intention to Demolish
Our Ontario – search Historical Images for Whitby
Archaeological Resources Fact Sheet
Heritage Guidelines
Façade Guidelines
Sign Guidelines
Heritage and Sustainability
Heritage Trees