HERITAGE OTTAWA

After determining its cultural heritage value earlier this year, city staff recommended the Rideau Exchange building at 251 Besserer Street for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA).

Located at the corner of Besserer and King Edward Avenue, the two storey red brick building, constructed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts style, was the second Bell Telephone Company switchboard operated exchange in Ottawa and features a symmetrical façade with seven bays of windows. City Council confirmed the designation on May 28, 2025. 

In July, the Chinese government, which owns the building, objected to the designation based on its special diplomatic status, issues around maintaining security, and insufficient consultation. In order to allow more time to consult and address the owner's concerns, the City must formally withdraw its intention to designate.

At the Built Heritage Committee meeting of October 6, heritage staff confirmed their position that the property merits designation and they would be proceeding with that recommendation before the provincially imposed December 2026 deadline to remove the property from the Heritage Register.

Heritage staff reminded members of the BHC that over 65 properties with diplomatic status in Ottawa are already designated heritage properties under the OHA. 

Heritage Ottawa supports protecting the building, and Advocacy committee co-chair Linda Hoad says that the organization understands the challenges of designating a diplomatic property.

“I think the staff are taking the right approach,” she told CBC NEWS.  “If they lift the intention to designate, they will continue to negotiate and they will hopefully be able to resolve the issues that the People’s Republic of China has.”

Heritage Ottawa will be following the outcome of the renewed discussions with the Chinese government and will be supporting the future heritage designation of the property.

 CLICK HERE for further details on the CBC News website.