Built heritage: first two fines at more than $ 100,000 for Quebec City

Quebec City leads to the fight in the fight for neglect. Furthermore, the lack of maintenance of heritage buildings. Therefore, “In the absence of case law” in the province. Moreover, the merchant administration is preparing to “establish the first cases” of “salty” proceedings since the modernization of the law on cultural heritage, in 2021. Meanwhile,

The city of Quebec has issued two offense observations of more than $ 100,000 to owners of heritage buildings today. Therefore,

These owners were responsible for the maintenance. Consequently, maintenance of the Racine-Trudel and Bégin-Létourneau houses, both under the protection of the municipal authorities. Furthermore, In both cases. For example, our teams judge that there was a non -interview, to the point that it led to demolitionsays a spokesperson for Quebec City.

The first house was at 89-93, rue built heritage: first two fines Racine, in Loretteville. Consequently, Built 200 years ago, the Racine-Trudel house had heritage interest superior.

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The Quebec Urban Planning. Furthermore, Conservation Commission (CUCQ) first refused the owner’s demolition request and imposed renovations in May built heritage: first two fines 2024. However. For example, it finally went to the applicant’s arguments, in September of the same year, for security reasons related to the significant degradation of the building.

As for her. However, the Bégin-Létourneau house, erected somewhere between 1910 and 1920, was located at 2151, boulevard Père-Lelièvre, in Duberger. Therefore, The building, also of interest superiorwas One of the oldest on Boulevard Père-Lelièvre and the Saint-François-Xavier parish. Similarly,

There too, the CUCQ was initially pronounced against a request for demolition from the owner. In addition, She had ordered restoration work before changing her mind due to the state of deterioration advanced a few months later. Similarly, in June 2024.

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The reports of offense. issued under the maintenance regulations and the occupation of buildings, are respectively $ 103,400 and $ 133,700. In both cases, the parties prosecuted have since left their properties and challenged the city fines.

The causes should be heard before the Quebec Municipal Court somewhere this fall.

Built heritage: first two fines

Premiers tests – Built heritage: first two fines

Distributing such considerable fines was impossible built heritage: first two fines in Quebec until recently.

Responding to the severe criticisms of the former general auditor of Quebec. the Legault government modernized the Cultural Heritage Act in 2021. One of the objectives was to give more biting to criminal provisions in cases of negligence.

In the previous version, offenders were exposed to maximum fines of $ 4,000. This amount increased to $ 250,000, even for individuals, in the new version of the legislative text.

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This tool was requested by Quebec City in a memory produced upstream of the bill. The amounts were derisory . cities could not impose fines beyond what was planned in the lawsrecalls Mélissa Coulombe-Leduc, heritage manager at the Executive Committee of Quebec City.

Jumping on the occasion, Quebec City adopted maintenance and demolition regulations in 2022 and 2023 nested the new methods.

In the case of the two demolished houses. the city took a little more time to do its homework, admits Ms. Coulombe-Leduc. We wanted to see if there was case law, what we saw is that it was not really the case.

The city will therefore come establish the first cases Before built heritage: first two fines the courts. In other words, Quebec will probably be the first to test the new law, four years after its adoption.

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We have to win

In this context. Mélissa Coulombe-Leduc is convinced of the importance of the cause which will be heard soon.

All the more, built heritage: first two fines she said, that Quebec City demanded these new deterrent powers. After that, the boots must follow the lips [et que les règlements soient appliqués].

The amounts of the offense observations, beyond $ 100,000 but below the maximum $ 250,000, were established by city professionals. According to Ms. Coulombe-Leduc, the sums must reflect the seriousness of negligence without being excessive in the eyes of the court.

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The elected representative of the CAP-aux-Diamants. district expects the cause to be followed by both municipal organizations that history societies everywhere in the provinces. I think that the municipal world will have to follow it very attentively because I think it. will come to place things on how cities can use the amounts of fine provided in law.

I think we have every interest. Quebec City, for all Quebec municipalities and for the credibility of the law, to win our causes.

Recall that municipalities have the obligation to acquire or amend their maintenance and demolition regulations in order to take into account new legislative provisions by 1^is April 2026. They were five years old to do so, from the same date in 2021.

Support for the city

The city of Quebec’s approach is praised by the Federation Histoire Québec.. Its president. Louis Vallée, is delighted to see the capital put up on the ground And try to put an end to the practices of certain owners or negligent promoters.

The possibility of emitting savory fines According to him is an important advance to dissuade the bad behavior in the maintenance of heritage buildings. but still had to go ahead. We have to do something. we were promised that there would be something that would be done, and that’s built heritage: first two fines where it is done.

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Everyone has to know that we can emit such fines.. These are exceptional cases that must remain exceptional.

Mr. Vallée is of the opinion that the owners referred to by the built heritage: first two fines fines have voluntarily neglected to maintain their. buildings. It will be up to the city to demonstrate it before the court. The city must be able to demonstrate what has really happened.

The president of the Federation Histoire Québec believes that cities are responsible for intervening strongly in order to. avoid other demolitions in the future. He hopes that others will follow suit in Quebec. If we leave these buildings abandoned. make sure that they deteriorate more quickly, and that is what happens to these two houses, you have to act quickly and in a really severe way.