Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia calls on the Province to levy the maximum penalty allowed under the Heritage Property Act for illegal demolition of provincially designated 1760s landmark

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - DECEMBER 10-20 - HALIFAX, NS
The Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia condemns the illegal demolition of a provincially-designated 1760s landmark in Avonport and calls on the Province to levy the maximum penalty allowed under the Heritage Property Act.

The Reid House, designated in 1993 as a Provincial Heritage Property by the Province of Nova Scotia, and a well-known landmark visible from Hwy 101, was demolished without the permission of the Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage, in contravention of the Heritage Property Act.

Both municipal and provincial officials are reported to have informed the owner in November about the legal obligations involved in applying to demolish a provincially-registered property. Section 9 of the Act lays out the process for applying for de-registration, a prerequisite for demolition. The Land Use By-law of the Municipality of Kings County specifically states (Section 1.7):

Nothing in the By-Law shall exempt any applicant or property owner from compliance with any other applicable municipal, provincial or federal legislation or from any license, permission, permit authority or approval required by this or any other by-law of the Municipality or other lawful authority.

The Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia calls on the Minister to demonstrate the Province’s respect for and awareness of the value that built heritage brings to the Province and its residents by pursuing all legal remedies against this shocking disregard for the law. Nothing will bring back this landmark building, but a large fine may indicate to others that the Province is serious about protecting its heritage resources. The Heritage Property Act allows a penalty of up to $250,000 for contravention of the Act by a corporation (Section 25.2).

The Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia, founded in 1959, is a non-profit registered charity whose goal is to conserve buildings and sites of historic significance, and to promote this important cultural component of Nova Scotia’s identity.