Culture Minister Aileen Carroll delivered opening remarks at the 2008 Heritage Conservation Conference, held from May 30 to June 1 in Collingwood. Heritage conservation has become so popular in communities across Ontario that the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has almost doubled its branches to 20 across the province. To help support the unprecedented growth in local heritage conservation efforts, the province is providing $50,000 to the conservancy to assist with:

• Training volunteers about protecting heritage properties
• Developing a new financial reporting system and
• Enhancing the conservancy’s website.