Heritage Recognition

Chilliwack’s heritage planning program currently includes a Heritage Interest Inventory, a Community Heritage Register, and a Voluntary Municipal Heritage Designation program. These heritage planning tools are described in detail below.

Heritage Interest Inventory 

In January 2024, Council endorsed the new Heritage Interest Inventory, identifying 92 heritage resources that remain from a list first prepared in 1991. This updated list will be used to further implement the Heritage Strategic Action Plan.

• Click here to read the Heritage Interest Inventory Report and here for Appendix A.

Community Heritage Register

In December 2024, Council adopted a Community Heritage Register (CHR), which includes 17 heritage sites. A CHR is an official listing of properties identified by a local government as having heritage value or heritage character, mainly to monitor and manage heritage sites. It is also a tool used by community members for nominating heritage sites to be added to a CHR (approved by Council). 

The creation of a CHR ensures the inclusion of historic sites on the BC Register of Historic Places (BCRHP) — the official provincial listing of historic places. Listings on the BCRHP may also be included on the Canadian Register of Historic Places (CRHP). 

Heritage sites listed on the CHR are not necessarily protected from demolition unless steps have been taken to legally protect the it (e.g., designation bylaw, conservation area, covenant, etc.). City staff will work with applicants on proposals involving heritage sites to incorporate opportunities for conservation wherever possible. Additional information can be found in the resources below.

• A list of properties on the Community Heritage Revister can be found here.

Voluntary Municipal Heritage Designation Bylaw

The purpose of designation is to protect a heritage building from unsympathetic alteration and subsequent loss of character or value (some alterations may be required for ongoing use). The Local Government Act gives Council the power to designate heritage properties by bylaw and describes the process to follow to protect a property. 

The designation process applies to properties identified in the Heritage Interest Inventory, a list of properties that have heritage significance. The City’s Heritage Interest Inventory identifies a number of potential heritage properties, but they are scattered throughout the city and are predominantly privately owned. The City uses a voluntary designation process and the preservation of these properties is contingent on individual decisions by the concerned owners. 

Resources

• Heritage Designation Policy G-15
• Request for Heritage Designation and Waiver of Compensation Form
• Heritage Alteration Permit application form

Heritage Properties in Chilliwack

At present, there are 17 heritage sites within Chilliwack that are listed on the Community Heritage Register as well as protected by a Municipal Heritage Designation Bylaw, providing long-term protection in the community: