OLT ruling prompts review of Fort Erie heritage designation process
April 29, 2026 at 6:19 PM
An Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) ruling has Fort Erie contemplating changes to its heritage designation process.
The ruling came to councillors in the consent agenda at the April 27 meeting, though Councillor Ann-Marie Noyes brought it up for discussion.
The owners of 168 High Street appealed a Town decision to designate the property as a heritage building. While they reached a settlement, the OLT’s report included testimony from an expert witness that found the property did not meet any of the nine criteria used to determine designation worthiness.
“Knowing that, we perhaps need to look at how we are assessing these properties and the criteria we are using for designation,” said Noyes, who has historically been cautious in her support of heritage designation.
168 High Street as viewed from Bertie Street. Credit: Google MapsCouncil supported a recommendation to designate the property based on a study by consultants Archaeological Research Associates (ARA). They found the property met two of the nine criteria, which is the minimum required for heritage designation to move forward.
However, Marcus Letourneau, a witness at the OLT hearing, disputed those findings, suggesting neither of the two criteria were actually met.
Noyes said having the designation turned down and being told none of the criteria were met should be an eye opener.
The first criterion in question was regarding a property that “has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.”
The ARA report suggested the building was representative of the Queen Anne style, due to its T-shaped plan, cross-gable roof with gable dormers, varied rectangular window openings, and tower.
However, Letourneau disagreed, arguing ample evidence suggests the building was altered multiple times, and those alterations–not an original Queen Anne style–led to its current makeup and layout.
The second criterion referred to its “direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.”
ARA’s investigation supported this based on findings that it was built “as the summer residence of a wealthy American family, thus influencing the pattern of settlement and development in the community along the north shores of Lake Erie.”
Letourneau’s conclusion, however, was that there was no evidence the property actually influenced the pattern of settlement, and additionally that ownership by people like Benjamin Hardison and James Stanton was not significant.
Mayor Wayne Redekop said it was his understanding that, in light of the OLT decision, the Town’s Museum and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee is looking at ways of tightening up its reviews.
However, he did take some issue with the findings in the OLT report.
“I’m a little surprised the report made specific reference to Benjamin Hardison and James Stanton, indicating they’re not significant individuals in the town’s past, which is rather startling to me,” he said.
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About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
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