Chinese government stalls city plan to protect historic Ottawa telephone building

The People’s Republic of China is opposing a push to grant heritage protection to a historic telephone building in Ottawa, prompting the city to put the plan on ice.

The property at 251 Besserer St. is a two-storey red brick building in the Beaux-Arts style. It dates to 1912 and hosted the second Bell telephone exchange in Ottawa.

Council voted to designate it under the Ontario Heritage Act in May. But the property owner, which happens to be the Chinese government, still had a chance to object. Resolving its concerns has proven complicated.

In response, council voted Wednesday to withdraw its intention to designate the property. The decision follows a recommendation from city staff, who are asking for more time to work things out with China.

Lesley Collins, the city’s program manager for heritage planning, said that advice has nothing to do with the cultural heritage value of the property, which the city still stands by.

“Staff still believe the property merits designation,” she said. “But the Heritage Act has very strict timelines that we can’t extend.”

Coun. Rawlson King, who chairs the built heritage committee, said negotiations can’t be resolved before a 90-day deadline runs out on Thursday. There are language considerations, as well as the need to liaise with Chinese officials overseas and Global Affairs Canada. 

He said the committee can restart the designation process at a later date.

“This withdrawal is strategic, not an abandonment of heritage protection,” he said.

The building serves as an office for China’s mission in Canada, though the embassy did not explain precisely what it’s used for. In its objection, China argues that the property enjoys diplomatic status, and that international law requires it to consent to any alteration in its status.

While staff from the city’s heritage department agree that the telephone building does have diplomatic status, they still don’t accept China’s arguments. In a report, they note that there are more than 65 diplomatic buildings with heritage designation.

Even so, Collins acknowledged that the property’s status could create difficulties under an international convention on diplomatic relations.

“The Vienna Convention doesn’t prevent the city from designating the property under the Heritage Act, but it does potentially place some restrictions on how that designation could be enforced in the future,” she said.

Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper voted against the withdrawal. He worries about a double standard for foreign governments, since the city routinely designates properties over the objections of churches and private individuals.

“We frequently get these notices of opposition from stakeholders whose properties are going to be designated,” he said. “We wouldn’t contemplate giving anyone that kind of additional time.”

Heritage Ottawa supports protecting the building, but advocacy committee co-chair Linda Hoad she they understand the challenges of designating a diplomatic property.

“I think the staff are taking the right approach,