Position Overview

The City of Burlington is actively growing! As the City evolves its organizational structure to meet the demands of today and the future, we have created some exciting new positions to support this initiative. The Community Planning department is expanding, and we are hiring a new Senior Planner to undertake special projects related to heritage planning work.

This position reports to the Supervisor, Special Projects & Urban Design and will be responsible for leading various cultural heritage initiatives, projects, planning studies, research and analysis, and the preparation, authoring and presentation of reports and recommendations for consideration by City Council.

In the near term, this position will project manage the City’s response to recent legislative amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act by Bill 23 and More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022.

Responsibilities

As a key member of our team, the Senior Planner, Heritage will be responsible for:

• Managing projects relating to cultural heritage and general planning policy, including preparing terms of reference, hiring of consultants, managing and monitoring the consultant and project workplans, deliverables and budgets;
• Preparing reports and recommendations for the consideration of the municipal heritage advisory committee, standing committees and Council, conducting on-going consultation with all stakeholders, and undertaking public consultation as required including statutory public notification;
• Acting as staff liaison to the municipal heritage advisory committee;
• Leading and facilitating public and stakeholder engagement;
• Undertaking and leading cultural heritage projects and studies, research projects and data analysis, and other planning related issues with minimum supervision;
• Providing input to the Burlington Official Plan and Zoning By-law on required updates/amendments related to cultural heritage resources and planning matters;
• Managing designated property and district files including writing by-laws and drafting recommendations;
• Maintaining the Cultural Heritage Register;
• Administrating the use of the Community Heritage Fund and Heritage Tax Rebate Program;
• Providing cultural heritage comments on various applications and permits, reviews heritage impact assessments for development applications and environmental assessments and provides professional opinion and advice on completeness and alternative courses of action;
• Aiding property owners and the public, as well as the development industry, various levels of government, staff, applicants/proponents and elected officials on various cultural heritage and planning matters;
• Appearing before the Ontario Land Tribunal and other tribunals to give expert evidence on the City’s behalf as it relates to cultural heritage and planning matters; and
• Sharing the responsibility for covering off the absences of the Supervisor.

Requirements

Qualified applicants will have a University Degree in Planning or a related field plus membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners or equivalent.  A Registered Professional Planner (RPP) designation with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) is preferred. Full membership in the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals is considered an asset. Qualified applicants must have seven (7) to ten (10) years of relevant professional planning experience with a specialty in Cultural Heritage, including project management experience, and preferably operating at a senior level and in a municipal environment.

The Senior Planner, Heritage will have strong project management skills, be customer-focused and able to foster an environment of communication and collaboration. Additionally, the successful applicant will demonstrate the ability to navigate the political environment, knowledge of the Ontario Heritage Act, Planning Act, Provincial Policy Statement, Provincial Plans, and the Regional and Local Planning Policy Framework, and knowledge of the development application process. We are seeking an individual with excellent verbal and written communication skills, superior customer service skills, with the ability to effectively manage projects and critical thinking skills.