Ottawa's Built Heritage Committee Advances Heritage Protections

Ottawa's Built Heritage Committee advanced heritage protections for properties at 26 Castlefrank Road, 10 Cedro Court, 622 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, 936 March Road, and 354, 487 and 511 Rideau Street. The committee also advanced proposed changes that would give city staff more authority to approve certain low-rise additions to designated heritage properties. City Council is scheduled to consider the recommendations on November 12, 2026.

Topics Discussed

HERITAGE DESIGNATIONS ADVANCED

The committee approved, on consent, recommendations concerning Part IV heritage designations for 26 Castlefrank Road, 10 Cedro Court and 622 Queen Elizabeth Driveway. The recommendations will proceed to City Council.

During discussion of 10 Cedro Court, Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower said he was more confident that historic properties in the area were protected than when he first took office. Referring to the nearby Bradley-Craig farm, he said it had been "a high-risk property eight years ago" and was now "in great shape."

936 MARCH ROAD

The committee advanced a notice of intention to designate the 19th-century farmhouse at 936 March Road under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Staff said the property is one of the few remaining brick Ontario cottages in the former March Township and continues to meet four of the act's nine heritage criteria.

The property owner, Medcalf Realty, opposed the designation. Representatives argued that the building had been substantially altered, had structural and water-infiltration problems, and was located within a planned redevelopment area. Legal counsel Roberto Alberto said, "The building has essentially been replaced," while heritage consultant John Stewart said, "In fact there is no context. Visually there's no context."

City staff said the alterations were consistent with changes made to buildings of that age and maintained that the building had not been completely rebuilt.

The committee approved a technical amendment introduced by Coun. Shawn Troster replacing Document 5 with a revised statement of cultural heritage value. The amendment adds clarity about which elements of the property are not heritage attributes.

Coun. Rawlson King said designation would not freeze the property's use or prevent development of the wider lot. "What it does ensure is that changes affecting the specific heritage features we identify—the brick cottage itself and its settings—are reviewed with heritage in mind," he said.

RIDEAU STREET PROPERTIES

The committee advanced Part IV designation recommendations for 354, 487 and 511 Rideau Street. The properties date from 1871 to 1911 and were described as reflecting Lowertown's transition from residential estates to a commercial corridor.

A representative of 511 Rideau Street asked whether heritage grants could help cover interior repairs such as plumbing and heating. Coun. Ariel Troster asked whether the designations applied only to the exteriors. Staff responded that heritage designation primarily addresses identified exterior heritage attributes and that city grants generally focus on eligible exterior work.

Property owners raised concerns about short notice and the effect of retaining the façades on plans for a larger mixed-use project that could include residential and affordable housing.

DELEGATED HERITAGE APPROVALS

The committee carried proposed changes to the delegation of authority under the Ontario Heritage Act. The changes would allow city staff to approve certain additions of up to four storeys to Part IV-designated properties and properties in Heritage Conservation Districts, provided the work does not adversely affect heritage attributes or conflict with the applicable district plan.

Staff said the change would coordinate heritage and planning approvals and remove approximately five detailed reports from the committee's annual agenda. Ward councillors would have five business days to ask questions, request discussions or refer an application to the committee.

Coun. Rawlson King asked how the expanded delegated authority would continue to protect heritage attributes. A Heritage Ottawa delegate said public consultation had become "more and more and more limited." Staff said applications that could adversely affect heritage attributes would have to return to the committee and council.

NEXT STEPS

City Council is scheduled to consider the recommendations on November 12, 2026. The committee's next meeting date had not been set at adjournment.

Motions

• Part IV designation recommendations for 26 Castlefrank Road, 10 Cedro Court and 622 Queen Elizabeth Driveway: Carried on consent; forwarded to City Council.
• 936 March Road — notice of intention to designate: Carried as amended.
• 936 March Road — technical amendment: Carried. The amendment replaces Document 5 with a revised statement of cultural heritage value.
• 354, 487 and 511 Rideau Street — Part IV heritage designations: Carried; forwarded to City Council.
• Delegation of Authority under the Ontario Heritage Act: Carried; forwarded to City Council.
• Other held items: Related delegation matters were held for discussion before the recommendations were carried. No rejected motions were identified in the provided material.

Attendees

Councillors identified in the meeting material included:

• Glen Gower, Stittsville Ward
• Shawn Troster
• Rawlson King
• Ariel Troster

Other committee members identified in the material included Quinn and Madigan. The committee chair was not named in the provided text.