The fourth District as proposed by the Heritage Conservation District Study is currently underway. The project launched in January 2026 when the Town retained The Biglieri Group and Egis Canada Ltd. to the lead the preparation of the Downtown HCD Plan. This District will stretch from Albert Street in the west to Park Drive in the east, capturing the commercial and industrial core of the Village.

This is the final piece in a multi-year process to give Stouffville's historic downtown a clear policy framework for future change. Where the earlier HCD Study identified the boundaries and heritage character of the District, the Plan itself sets out the specific guidelines that will shape how properties within it can be altered, added to, or redeveloped, helping unsure new development respects the area's historic streetscape while allowing the downtown to grow and evolve.

The project team has reviewed properties within the Heritage Conservation District to identify contributing properties and refine the District boundary, as shown in the map above.

With the properties evaluated, the project team has prepared the first draft of the Heritage Conservation District Plan. This document provides the policy framework for change within the District.

Public Meeting
The Draft Plan will be presented at a Statutory Public Meeting on Wednesday September 16, 2026, at 7 PM at the Town Hall in the Council Chambers.  

Notice

Following the Public Meeting, there will be further opportunities for the public to participate in further refining the HCD Plan, including consultation with the Heritage Advisory Committee and Village of Stouffville Advisory Committee on their October 5, 2026 meetings, and a Public Open House to be held in mid October with details to follow.

A heritage conservation district is a collection of heritage resources that have a special character or association. Once created, municipalities can manage and guide future change in the area through the adoption of a District Plan with policies and guidelines for conservation, protection, and enhancement of the area’s special character.

The process to establish an HCD is carried out in two phases. The first phase in the HCD Study, which entails an analysis of the cultural heritage significance of the study area to determine if it, or a portion of it, should be considered for an HCD. 

This work involves researching the development of Stouffville and inventorying the properties, streetscapes, and open spaces of the study area. This information is compiled into an HCD Study Report, which recommends a heritage conservation district boundary (if appropriate) for consideration by Whitchurch-Stouffville Council. This phase has been completed with the findings of the report being endorsed by Council at the May 18th, 2022 Council Meeting. 

The second phase of an HCD project is the creation of Plan and Designation By-laws for each of the HCDs. Currently, the Town has three designated HCDs with supporting plans. The fourth district, covering the downtown area from Albert Street to Stouffer Street is currently underway.