Multiple Dalhousie University buildings could gain heritage status in Halifax

The Dalhousie University sign is pictured. (Source: Stephanie Tsicos/CTV News Atlantic)

Dalhousie University’s buildings have been a fixture in Halifax for decades, and now some of them could receive protected heritage status.

A staff report for the Heritage Advisory Committee says 22 Dalhousie properties have “high heritage registration potential” and it recommends Halifax adopt a streamlined process for evaluating them. The committee will discuss the recommendation at their meeting on Wednesday.

In 2022, a staff report found dozens of university buildings in Halifax that could be considered for municipal heritage registration. The majority (37) were owned by Dalhousie, but the report also noted four from the University of King’s College, two from the Atlantic School of Theology and one from St. Mary’s University.

“The Heritage Property Program aims to help protect and conserve significant heritage resources including buildings, streetscapes, sites, areas, and conservation districts that reflect the rich heritage found in local communities throughout HRM,” the 2025 staff report reads. “One way to achieve this goal is by recognizing significant heritage properties through inclusion in the Municipal Registry of Heritage Property. If a property is successfully registered, it gains the protections outlined in the Nova Scotia Heritage Property Act.”

To achieve heritage status, a property has to score at least 50 points in a 100-point evaluation system, which is broken down into six categories:

• age (worth 25 points)
• historical or architectural importances (worth 20 points)
• architectural integrity (worth 15 points)
• significance of the architect or builder (worth 10 points)
• architectural merit (worth 20 points)
• relationship to the surrounding area (worth 10 points)

Some of the Dalhousie properties that scored high on this scale include Shirreff Hall (built in 1921), the Provincial Archives Building (built in 1929), the Henry Hicks Building (built in 1949), the Forrest Building (built in 1887) and the MacDonald Memorial Library (built in 1914).

The 2025 staff report notes there are more than 20 heritage registration applications in the queue and on average nine-to-12 of them are processed annually. It recommends prioritizing the Dalhousie properties that have a strong chance of achieving heritage status over other Dalhousie buildings to streamline the process.

“Staff will continue to collaborate as appropriate with Dalhousie University and bring the registration requests to the HAC (Heritage Advisory Committee) in batches for recommendation throughout 2025-2026 (and subsequently to Regional Council for heritage hearing),” the report reads. “The precise timing of the registrations will be determined in the coming months.

“This recommendation has no impact on the buildings…that are owned by the University of King’s College, the Atlantic School of Theology, and Saint Mary’s University.”

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