About ACO

Through education and advocacy, to encourage the conservation and reuse of structures, districts and landscapes of architectural, historic and cultural significance, to inspire and benefit Ontarians

STRUCTURE

Branches

ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVANCY ONTARIO encourages the establishment of branches to monitor local communities to keep heritage emergencies from developing. Each branch has its own Executive. Branches focus on local issues and programming opportunities, as well as recruiting and supporting local members.

Typical branch activities include advocating for threatened heritage properties, providing conservation advice, publishing a local newsletter, organizing Doors Open events, managing revolving funds for heritage restoration projects, creating fundraising events, developing awards programs, leading tours, and holding antique auctions.

Provincial Council

Policies affecting the province-wide organization are set by Provincial Council, which is made up of the Provincial Executive, and representatives (one per branch) of the individual branches. ACO Provincial Council meets four times per year, twice in Toronto, twice in branch locations. These meetings include an opportunity to share information about emerging issues, and a chance to learn from the experiences of other branches in managing similar situations. Often these emerging issues set the province-wide advocacy agenda.

Provincial Executive

Between Council meetings the business of the organization is managed by the Provincial Executive, which oversees the provincial office and its programs, liaises with the Government of Ontario on matters of province-wide importance, sets up new branches, and coordinates the Ontario Heritage Conference and Annual Awards Dinner.

Provincial Coordinating Office

The provincial office has a small staff which co-ordinates province-wide activities, and provides general management. It is supported through branch contributions, sponsorships, an operating grant from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, private donations as well as separate fundraising efforts.

Activities of the provincial office include the provision of insurance, the printing and distribution of brochures, preparing the organizations tax returns, supervising the issuing of charitable tax receipts, liaising with branches, organizing meetings, creating and circulating ACO's journal ACORN twice a year to all members, maintaining the website, managing the PreservationWorks! and Buildings at Risk Programs (formerly H.A.L.P).