Court ruling saves century-old Halifax heritage home from the wrecking ball

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press

 A heritage preservation group in Halifax is applauding a court decision that prevents Dalhousie University from demolishing a 128-year-old house that was registered as a heritage site.

The Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia issued a statement today saying the decision from the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal highlights the importance of heritage registrations.

The court heard that after the house was purchased by Dalhousie in July 2021, a community group persuaded Halifax’s municipal council to grant the home heritage status.

Dalhousie challenged that decision in the province’s Supreme Court, which decided the city council had wrongly decided that a heritage registration could be granted to a group other than the property owner.

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The municipality then sought a judicial review from the Court of Appeal, which dismissed the university’s claims and said the council’s decision was fair and reasonable.

The province’s highest court also confirmed that Halifax council could award heritage status to a property following a request by a party other than the property’s owner.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025.