The City of Ottawa’s
built heritage committee
is moving forward with a heritage designation for two historic churches despite opposition from the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall, which cites the overly broad extent of the designation, the administrative and financial burden it would create and the lack of consultation with the parish and diocese.
In May, council directed staff to issue a notice of intention to designate two historic Catholic churches:
Église Saint-François-d’Assise
at 1062 Wellington St. W. in Hintonburg and Église Saint-Joseph d’Orléans at 2757 St. Joseph Blvd. in Orléans.
The city’s heritage planning staff urged members of the built heritage committee to forge ahead with the designation after making some changes to its initial proposal and with the timeline for such a designation set to expire at the end of 2026.
Why did staff want to push ahead?
In a report prepared for the Sept. 9 built heritage committee meeting, staff said they “maintain the position that these properties merit designation … and recommend that council not withdraw the (notices of intention to designate).
“Staff have worked in consultation with the property owner and parish to update the statement of
cultural heritage value
to provide additional clarity about the scope of the designation,” the report stated.
Committee members voted on Tuesday to accept the staff recommendation to move ahead with the designation. The diocese notified councillors of their objection, but did not send a delegation to the Sept. 9 committee meeting.
“This has been a months-long consultation, and I’m reasonably certain (the archdiocese) had ample opportunity to lodge their objections and work through those objections with city staff to get to this point,” said Coun. Jeff Leiper, whose Kitchissippi ward is home to the Saint-François-d’Assise church.
“Ontario requires municipalities to either designate the buildings that are on the heritage registry or they will be de-listed from the registry and it would be five years before the city could designate them. So the city has been working at a relatively feverish pace to get the most important properties on that registry and designate them before that happens (with a Dec. 31, 2026 deadline).”
What makes these two churches significant?
The two historic Catholic churches were selected for heritage designation due to their cultural heritage value, their rich history and prominence in the neighbourhoods.
The churches were established in the early 1900s to support the expanding congregations in local French-speaking communities and “both speak to the growing francophone populations in their respective neighbourhood,” the staff report stated.
“Both churches are landmarks in their neighbourhoods and within the city due to their architectural features and materials, large scale and massing, and prominent locations on main thoroughfares.”
Why is the diocese opposed to the heritage designation?
The objection is rooted in concerns over the broad scope of the designation, increased administrative requirements and financial implications of any potential renovations and, according to the archdiocese, insufficient consultation with the church and parish.
The archdiocese formally requested the city delay the heritage designation to undertake further study.
A petition containing 665 signatures was submitted to council from the Saint-Joseph church saying the parish “was not involved in the discussions or steps taken with the municipal authorities” concerning the designation.
The petition also cited higher costs for maintenance as a heritage designation “requires compliance with rules and the use of certain specific materials and also the frequent use of specialized experts, which significantly increases costs compared to normal work.”
“With a designation, it becomes more difficult to modify or redesign the premises to meet the needs of our community today and in the future,” the petition read.
How did staff respond to the objection?
City staff clarified the proposal by excluding some elements from the heritage designation, such as the Saint-Joseph cemetery, the interior of the rectory and the later additions to the church and rectory, including the office, annex and garage.
The interior of the offices and basement of Saint-François-d’Assise were excluded from the designation, along with the adjacent Hintonburg Park and any alterations to the surrounding stone wall with its distinct metal gates.
The liturgical elements inside both churches — the altar, crosses, artwork, statues and pews — are also excluded.
Staff noted the city offered financial incentives and heritage grants to assist property owners with restoration costs.
Newly-designated properties “are of the highest priority for funding,” staff said in the revised report.
The report outlined several scenarios for potential restoration work that would not require heritage permits to complete the work or where the work would be eligible for cost-sharing grants.
“It’s not guaranteed that they will have the financial costs they are anticipating,” Leiper said. “There are city grants available and, ideally, over time those grants would increase to help property owners maintain these heritage properties. I would want to caution against leaping to conclusions about what those costs would be.”
What are the heritage features of each church?
Église Saint-Joseph d’Orléans met seven of the nine criteria for heritage designation, while Église Saint-François-d’Assise met all nine.
Those criteria under the Ontario Heritage Act include: design value (rare, unique, or representative of a style or construction method); a high degree of craftmanship, artistic merit or technical achievement; historical value with an association to significant persons, events or institutions; and contextual value if they define, maintain or support the character of the district, among others.
Constructed between 1913 and 1915, Église Saint-François-d’Assise is an example of a Romanesque Revival church with “a high degree of craftsmanship demonstrated by its architectural integrity and intricate stone detailing,” staff said.
The church was designed by a prominent local architect, Charles Brodeur of Hull, who contributed significantly to early 20th century ecclesiastical architecture in the Outaouais.
“Église Saint-François-d’Assise is considered Brodeur’s most imposing church and today it remains one of the largest churches in Ottawa,” staff said.
“What will resonate with most residents is the beauty of the building … the impressive architecture, the big, welcoming staircase,” Leiper said. “Its relationship to the street is iconic and it is an iconic building within the community. It’s an important cultural landmark in the community, it’s an impressive architectural example of its style, which we want to preserve.
“Hintonburg developed as a francophone community and this is a really important example of preserving that history, which is disappearing,” Leiper said.
Église Saint-Joseph d’Orléans includes a French Catholic church, rectory and grotto. The rusticated limestone rectory was constructed in 1891, and the church was built in 1922.
The church displays Gothic Revival architectural influences, while the rectory was built in the Second Empire architectural style, the staff report said.
The property is connected to architect Reverend Georges Bouillon. It also shares a connection with the history of the development of the village of Saint-Joseph d’Orléans, which became Orléans.
“The property is linked to the mixed 19th and 20th century historic stone, brick and wood-frame buildings along St. Joseph Boulevard, which are connected by their commercial, residential, institutional, and agricultural uses along the road. The site’s contextual value lies in its location on St. Joseph Boulevard, with its tall steeple making the church a landmark from a distance,” staff said.
The churches are “cultural landmarks which the whole community treasures,” Leiper said.
The heritage designation still requires the blessing of city council. If the archdiocese maintains its objection, Leiper said, it could pursue an appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal.
