The City of Maniwaki, in Outaouais, voted a resolution in which it undertakes not to cite any religious building on its territory as heritage property. The decision overthrows the defenders of built heritage, who see it as proof that some municipalities refuse to assume the powers granted to them to protect their ancestral buildings.
“We knew that there were municipalities in Quebec that refused to name their buildings that have heritage value for all sorts of reasons that are not justified. But so far, we had no proof, because they refuse to say it openly. There, for the first time, with Maniwaki, we see a municipality assume its position,” laments Jean-Louis Vallée, president of the Fédération Histoire Québec.
The latter regrets that several municipalities consider, wrongly, that citing a heritage building is to their disadvantage. Much education and awareness remains to be done with municipal councils, he said. Especially since quoting a building remains the prerogative of local authorities.
“There are obligations for municipalities when we cite buildings, that’s for sure, but they aren’t huge. It is important that the municipalities keep the power to cite a building, because Quebec would be overwhelmed if the requests for citation were centralized. Municipalities must understand that they have all the skills to exercise this power and that they are able to acquire all the knowledge if they ask for it,” maintains Jean-Louis Vallée.
We knew that there were municipalities in Quebec that refused to name their buildings that have heritage value for all sorts of reasons that are not justified.
Many advantages
The status of heritage city building confers certain protections in view of the law. Protections that municipalities are responsible for enforcing. Otherwise, the buildings mentioned also have the advantage of being eligible for certain government programs so that work can be carried out there. This is why the Fabrique of the parish of L’Assomption-de-Marie has been taking steps for years with the City of Maniwaki to have the oldest church in the community named.
“The masonry needs to be changed, the stained glass too. If you are not quoted, you do not have access to subsidies, so it is worth obtaining this status, ”explains the president of the assembly of the Factory, Ward O’Connor, who is hard to explain. why the City refused his request. “It wouldn’t require the City to do anything. The parish remains the owner of the church and has no intention of selling it within the next few years. It is the mother church of Maniwaki, where weddings, baptisms, funerals are still celebrated,” he adds.
Last week, the city council unanimously rejected its proposal to cite this place of worship built in 1869, shortly after the founding of the city. In the same resolution, the City undertakes not to cite “any religious heritage building on its territory, as this entails numerous disadvantages”.
Francine Fortin, the mayor of the locality of just under 4,000 inhabitants, did not respond to our interview request. The Minister of Culture, Mathieu Lacombe, who is also minister responsible for the Outaouais region, said he spoke with her. Given the fears expressed by the mayor, it was decided that a meeting between the City and the ministry would soon be organized.