An open letter fromHéritage Montréal in Le Devoir on Friday, September 30, 2022.
A general election is an opportunity to take stock and, above all, to look at the obligations of future elected officials beyond the programs and partisan promises, particularly in terms of heritage and development. And this, especially since this election year coincides with the centennial of the first Quebec law on heritage.
As Jean-François Nadeau recalled in Le Devoir (September 10, 2022), the current legislature has seen its share of losses, some regrettable, many unacceptable, all irreparable. In addition to the demolition of municipal heritage buildings, or even protected buildings such as those in Estérel, there have been equally worrying situations such as the Gesù chapel in Montreal, a listed property with a remarkable painted interior, whose physical integrity has been affected by a building site on the neighbouring property. However, beyond the damage and good deeds such as the classification of Maisonneuve or Montreal's Chinatown, two major events marked this 2018-2022 mandate.
The first was the publication in June 2020 of an audit on the state of safeguarding and enhancement of real estate heritage by the Auditor General of Quebec, the first in the history of this independent institution. Following this, the Minister published an action plan, tabled amendments to the Cultural Heritage Act to include transparency measures, work authorization criteria and new demolition control obligations, and increased support to municipalities to enhance their capacity.
The other significant event was the publication in June 2022 of the first National Policy on Architecture and Land Use Planning (PNAAT) led by the Ministers of Municipal Affairs and Culture, whose action plan is promised for winter 2023. While waiting for a heritage policy, which has been promised for 35 years, the PNAAT is a necessary step forward to give heritage the consideration it deserves in our economic, cultural and environmental development. We must stop the carelessness and waste that impoverish and denature our territory, this collective, regional and local heritage whose development and built environment contribute to its identity.
In spite of these major advances, the future of many of our publicly owned heritage buildings, particularly government buildings, remains uncertain. While the public use requalification projects for the former Royal Victoria Hospital and the Saint-Sulpice Library offer hope for improved practices, what about the magnificent buildings of Hôtel-Dieu, the Misericorde Hospital, the Deaf Mutes Institution or certain pavilions of John Abbott College? Among their many recommendations to the government in 2016, Michelle Courchesne and Claude Corbo proposed the creation of a heritage commissioner who could have taken action to get these heritage buildings out of the administrative limbo in which they languish.
Beyond the October 3rd election, we would like to remind future elected officials and the next government of the following must-haves in terms of heritage and development.
1. Implementing the NPAA
Quebec needs a framework worthy of the 21st century to treat its territory well, whether in its built, landscape, urban, rural, Aboriginal or natural components. And it needs an implementation plan that is up to the task, particularly in terms of heritage and landscape, with a credible monitoring and support mechanism that engages not only elected officials and their administrations, but the whole of society;
2. Revitalize disused public heritage buildings.
The creation of a special directorate for the requalification of the former Royal Victoria Hospital by the Société québécoise des infrastructures has paid off and helped maintain the public integrity of the site. Can such attention be applied to other government heritage buildings, or even to the many churches on hold? While waiting for permanent solutions, transitional occupancy strategies are also needed to prevent loss;
3. Provide the means to improve the condition of the heritage.
It's high time to catch up and exploit tools such as land trusts, easements and, above all, tax measures (property tax rebates, tax credits, etc.), which must be a government priority. Finally, while municipalities, MRCs and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal are increasingly active in the heritage field, equipping themselves with tools and qualified teams, Quebec has responsibilities and must maintain its competence, in particular through a professional team at ministère de la Culture.
The built heritage and, more globally, the existing built environment, constitute one of the great assets of Quebec and its regions. It is high time to recognize it in the structure and in the governmental decisions. The establishment of a table of partners and an interdepartmental table following the Auditor General's audit are important steps, but more is needed to ensure the coherence of the actions of the government, this ecosystem of departments and agencies, to protect, enhance and enrich our built, urban or landscape heritage. We cannot wait for the next audit. We need a reliable regime worthy of our time.
Chair of the Board of Directors, Héritage Montréal.
Policy Director, Héritage Montréal.
