Overview
Heritage Action Plan 2019-2022 [ PDF 38 KB ]
The conservation of cultural heritage resources is a priority for the City of Ottawa. Historic buildings, districts and landscapes provide us with physical reminders of our past and a greater understanding and appreciation of our local identity. The City of Ottawa conserves significant cultural heritage resources to celebrate, revitalize, stabilize and enhance the community as well as to contribute to its physical, social, cultural and economic development. The City has over 300 individually designated buildings and 20 heritage conservation districts.
Heritage planning is the preservation, conservation, rehabilitation, restoration and management of heritage resources. Cultural heritage resources can include sites, structures, buildings, and landscapes of cultural heritage value. Heritage planners work to manage change throughout the city to ensure that cultural heritage resources are retained, protected and integrated into new developments.
The Heritage Services Unit is part of the Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department. The Unit is responsible for researching and evaluating properties and areas for designation, assisting property owners with restoration projects and evaluating applications for alterations and demolition under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Unit provides expert advice to the Built Heritage Sub-Committee, Planning Committee, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and City Council on built heritage matters.
The City of Ottawa uses a variety of tools to identify and protect cultural heritage resources:
The Ontario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act provides the City of Ottawa with three ways to recognize and protect properties of cultural heritage value
- Listing on the heritage register (Section 27 of the Act)
- Individual designation (Part IV of the Act)
- Heritage district designation (Part V of the Act)
Property Standards By-Law (2013-416)
In 2013, in response to ongoing issues of demolition by neglect of several heritage properties, the City's property standards by-law was updated to include specific rules about the maintenance and minimum standards for heritage buildings. The amendments to the by-law have allowed the City to more closely monitor the condition of designated properties to ensure their long term viability. Section VI of the Property Standards By-Law includes the minimum standards for heritage properties.
Heritage Overlay, Section 60 of the Zoning By-law
Section 60 of the City of Ottawa Zoning By-law contains the Heritage Overlay that is applied to most designated heritage properties and districts. The Overlay provides an additional layer of protection for the property and the character of the area. The Heritage Overlay sets out a variety of requirements for new additions and new construction in heritage areas. For instance, if a building affected by the Heritage Overlay is to be demolished it must be replaced with a building of the same size, massing, and floor area. This regulation is meant to ensure that new construction is not out of character for the area. Section 60 also offers parking incentives for historic buildings.
Contact Us
For more information on the City of Ottawa Heritage Program, please contact:
Heritage Planning
613-580-2463
Email: heritage@ottawa.ca
Heritage Watch List
The Heritage Watch List was created in 2016 through the Mayor’s Heritage Matters Task Force as a tool to monitor designated heritage buildings that are vacant or at risk. The buildings are monitored through the City’s Property Standards By-law (2013-416) which was updated in 2013 to include specific standards for designated heritage properties. A Property Standards Officer visits each property on this list biannually and issues orders for board-up, graffiti removal, repair, restoration or property maintenance as required.
This list is being provided for information purposes only. The Heritage Watch List changes frequently so this version may not be the most current list. If there is a designated heritage property you are concerned about please contact 3-1-1. For a copy of the most up-to-date list or more information about the list, please contact heritage@ottawa.ca. This list is up to date as of August 12, 2024.
Bradley Craig Barn
590 Hazeldean Road
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
There are no active applications for this property.
Boyd Farmhouse
173 Huntmar Drive
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
There are no active applications for this property.
City Registry Office
70 Nicholas Street
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
Our Lady's School
287 Cumberland Street
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
179 Guigues Avenue
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
79 Guigues Avenue
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
143 Murray Street
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Lowertown West Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
231 Cobourg Street
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Wilbrod-Laurier Heritage Conservation District
This building is vacant but there is an approved heritage permit for demolition of the building and construction of a new building on the site. This building will be removed from the list once it is demolished.
1 Maple Lane/1112 Lisgar Road
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
This building is vacant but there is an approved heritage permit for demolition of the building and construction of a new building on the site. This building will be removed from the list once it is demolished.
Loeb House, 187 Lansdowne Road
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
330 Gilmour Street
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Centretown Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
46 Cartier Street
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
There are no active applications for this property.
Somerset House
352 Somerset Street West
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Centretown Heritage Conservation District
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
Champlain Oil Service Station
70 Richmond Road
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
Magee House
1119 Wellington Street W
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
There are no active applications for this property
Broadview School
590 Broadview Avenue
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
There are no active applications for this property.
Sisters of the Visitation
114 Richmond Road
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
The former Soeurs de la Visitation convent is vacant but there is an approved heritage permit for the restoration of the property and new development on the site. It will be removed from the list once construction is complete and the building is occupied.
460 Wilbrod Street
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act, Wilbrod/Laurier Heritage Conservation District
This building is not vacant but the property owner has undertaken exterior alterations to the building without a heritage permit. The building is considered to be “at-risk” so has been added to the Heritage Watch List. This building will be removed from the list once the remediation work is completed.
35-37 William Street
Part V, ByWard Market Heritage Conservation District
A construction permit was issued for this site in 2019. The property will remain on this list until construction is complete and the building is occupied.
38 Blackburn Avenue
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act, Russell-Range Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
190 Lansdowne Road
Part V, Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
40 Lyttleton Gardens
Part V, Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
58 Glebe Avenue
Part V, Clemow Estate East Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
7 Crescent Road
Part V, Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
St Marc's United Church, 325 Elgin Street
Part V, Minto Park Heritage Conservation District
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
75 Lyttleton Gardens
Part V: Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.
5 Onigam Street
Part IV, Ontario Heritage Act
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
125 Lakeway Drive
Part V: Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
A heritage permit was issued to alter this property. This building will be removed from the list once the construction is completed, and the building is occupied.
8 Briarcliffe Drive
Part V: Briarcliffe Heritage Conservation District
There is no active applications for this property.
200 Mariposa Avenue
Part V, Ontario Heritage Act: Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District
There are no active applications for this property.