China has raised objections to the proposal to grant heritage protection to a historic telephone building in Ottawa, leading the city to halt the initiative. The structure, located at 251 Besserer St., is a two-story red brick building built in the Beaux-Arts style in 1912 and once housed the second Bell telephone exchange in Ottawa.
Despite the city council’s decision in May to designate the building under the Ontario Heritage Act, the Chinese government, the current property owner, voiced its opposition, causing complications in the resolution process.
As a result, the council voted to withdraw its plan to designate the property, following a recommendation from city staff who sought more time to address the concerns raised by China.
Lesley Collins, the city’s program manager for heritage planning, emphasized that the decision to withdraw was based on the need for further discussions with China rather than a reassessment of the property’s historical significance, which the city still upholds.
According to Coun. Rawlson King, negotiations are unlikely to conclude before the 90-day deadline expires on Thursday due to various factors such as language barriers and the necessity to engage with Chinese officials and Global Affairs Canada.
He assured that the designation process could be reinitiated at a later stage, clarifying that the withdrawal was a strategic move rather than a complete abandonment of heritage protection.
Councillor Raises Concerns
The building currently functions as an office for China’s mission in Canada, although the embassy did not disclose specific details about its operations. China’s objection is based on the property’s diplomatic status, asserting that any changes to its status require consent under international law.
While city heritage department staff acknowledge the diplomatic status of the building, they do not concur with China’s claims. In a report, they highlight that over 65 diplomatic buildings have heritage designations, indicating that diplomatic status does not preclude heritage protection.
However, Collins recognized the potential challenges posed by the property’s diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, suggesting that enforcement of the designation might be restricted in the future.
Not all councillors supported the withdrawal decision, with Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper expressing concerns about potential double standards for foreign governments compared to other stakeholders whose objections are routinely overruled during property designations.
Linda Hoad, co-chair of Heritage Ottawa’s advocacy committee, acknowledged the complexities of designating a diplomatic property and supported the city staff’s approach to negotiating with China for a resolution.
Despite attempts to seek clarification, the Chinese Embassy declined to provide an interview to CBC regarding its stance on the matter.
