Heritage Property Program

The Heritage Property Program is administered for the province by Heritage Division.

The Heritage Property Act was passed in 1980, and amended in 1990. The purpose of this Act is to identify and protect built heritage--buildings, structures, districts--of historic, architectural and cultural value, and to encourage the continued use of this resource. To accomplish these goals, the Act provides three distinct authorities.

The Province is authorized to establish a registry of buildings and structures of provincial significance. To substantially alter or demolish a registered heritage property, owners are required by the Act to obtain approval from the Province. Authority to register a property is vested in a Minister, with specific responsibility to administer the Act, on the recommendation of an Advisory Council. Permission to substantially alter or demolish a registered heritage property must be given by the Executive Council.

The Act also authorizes municipalities to establish a registry of locally significant heritage properties, by adoption of a Heritage By-Law. Properties are registered by authority of the Municipal Council, on the recommendation of a Heritage Advisory Committee. To substantially alter or demolish a municipally registered heritage property, owners must obtain the approval of the Municipal Council. Failing to obtain such permission, an owner may notify in writing the Municipality of the intended alteration, wait one year, and then undertake these alterations without penalty.

In 1990, the Act was amended to enable municipalities to establish heritage conservation districts. Together with pursuant Regulations, the Act authorizes Municipal Council to develop and adopt a Conservation Plan and a Heritage Conservation District By-Law, for each district within the municipality. For properties located within the Heritage Conservation District, the Municipality may control alterations to existing structures, may control demolition and may control the design of new structures erected therein.

Other sections of the Act provide authority for various other programs which support the stated purpose. These include Sections 10 and 19, which authorize the Minister, or Municipal Council, to affix plaques on registered heritage properties; and Section 22, which authorizes the Minister and the Municipal Council to provide financial assistance for the restoration or renovation of registered heritage properties.

For more information, please contact:

Kevin Barrett
Coordinator, Heritage Property Unit
Heritage Property Program
Phone: (902) 424-6396
e-mail: barretkl@gov.ns.ca

Mary-Louise Hartigan
Administrative Assistant
Phone: (902) 424-5647
Facsimile: (902) 424-0560
e-mail: mhartiga@gov.ns.ca

or by mail,

Heritage Property Program
1747 Summer Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
B3H 3A6

Additional Information:

Heritage Property Act
The Heritage Property Act (HPA) of Nova Scotia was established to identify, designate, preserve, conserve, protect and rehabilitate buildings, structures, streetscapes, area and districts that have historic, architectural or cultural value. Such features can be found in either the urban or rural context. To review the HPA, please go to www.gov.ns.ca/legi/legc/statutes/heritage.htm.

Registering a Provincial Heritage Property
The Heritage Property Program has developed a publication entitled Registering Heritage Properties providing detailed information on the process of having a property considered for provincial registration. Should you have any questions, or would like a copy of the publication and an application form, please contact our office at 424-5647.

Developing a Heritage Conservation District
Under the Heritage Property Act of Nova Scotia, there is an opportunity for a municipality to establish a heritage conservation district. Such a district would have historic or architectural valve to the community. The Heritage Property Program has developed a document entitled Heritage Conservation Districts that explores the process involved for their development. Should you have any questions, or wish to obtain a copy of the document, please contact our office at 424-5647.

Financial Assistance Programs for Heritage Property Owners
The Province of Nova Scotia does offer financial grants to owners of provincial or municipal heritage properties. These grants include Conservation Work Grants, Conservation Advice Grants, and Material and Labour Grants. A general overview of the grants offered to registered municipal and/or provincial heritage properties are provided in the following tables; Grants Table for Municipal Property Owners and Grants Table for Provincial Property Owners. For more information, please contact the Heritage Property Program at 902-424-5647.

In addition,the Department of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations also offers a Provincial Tax Rebate (under the Sales Tax Act). This program provides heritage property owners a full rebate of the provincial sales tax paid for materials used on the exterior of the building. For more information on this program, contact 1-800-565-2336 or online, at Service Nova Scotia . Also, the application can be found here.

Associated Programs
The Heritage Property Program is active in a cross-Canada heritage conservation strategy called the Historic Places Initiative. Nova Scotia is involved as a partner in the creation of provincial content for the strategy's three main "tools": a Canadian register of historic places, the promotion and implementation of new standards and guidelines for heritage conservation, and the promotion of the federally sponsored financial incentive program for commercial heritage properties.

See the Historic Places Initiative Program page for details and links to the program's cross-Canada website.

The Provincial Registry of Heritage Properties
In Nova Scotia, there are 256 Provincially designated heritage properties. These properties celebrate the history, architecture and culture of Nova Scotia. To obtain a listing of these properties, please contact our office at 424-5647.

Publications:

Heritage Letter Winter 2008

Heritage Letter Summer 2007

Heritage Places in Nova Scotia...What you need to know

Insuring Old Homes in Nova Scotia - Registered Heritage Homes & Non-Registered Old Homes


For other information on heritage issues in Nova Scotia, please contact:

Provincial Heritage Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia
Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia