1245 Edward St

On Oct. 18, 2022, Halifax Regional Council passed a motion to include 1245 Edward Street on the municipal registry of heritage properties. Dalhousie University remains committed to continuing to work with government staff on finding the right balance between preservation of our most iconic buildings and development that supports continued university and city growth. We do not have any immediate plans for the Edward Street property and need to consider our options based on Council’s decision. In its current form, the building serves no practical purpose to the university. City heritage staff will name the house and affix a heritage plaque according to their usual process.

Continued asbestos abatement work at 1245 Edward Street

Please note that Dalhousie will continue interior asbestos abatement work at 1245 Edward Street starting as early as Monday, July 25, 2022 and continuing for approximately ten days.

This work is being done to ensure the property does not present any environmental, health, or safety risks to the community while we await a final decision on heritage designation.

Dalhousie has secured the appropriate permits to do this work and all work will be done in compliance with parameters set out by the Notice of Recommendation to Register. HRM has approved this work.  

The work will involve having Nova Scotia Power connect a temporary electrical supply and the Department of Labour will review the connection and sign off before work will begin. A power source is necessary to run fans as we clean up debris currently in the building and ensure any exposed asbestos-bearing materials are properly dealt with. Completing asbestos abatement on the property interior will allow the property to be safely left without the long-term need for plastic containment and industrial fans, pending the outcome of the upcoming HRM Regional Council meeting.

Once turned on, fans must run 24 hours/day until the work is completed.

Interior work will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Both the work and the noise levels are in compliance with HRM bylaws.

There will be a second notification when this work has been completed.

To ensure the safety of the site and workers, please do not enter the property or work area.

Statement on 1245 Edward street

Dalhousie University, as one of the few Canadian universities with a 200-plus year history, takes a long-term view of its planning for the university and its association with both the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and Nova Scotia. Dalhousie is deeply committed to protecting the heritage and character of our campus and its importance within the city. At the same time, we have our sights set on the future, supporting and fostering the growth of the university, HRM, and Nova Scotia as vibrant, sustainable, accessible places.

While there are many important aspects associated with protecting buildings that have genuine heritage value, Dalhousie does not believe 1245 Edward Street meets those criteria. Additionally, the property is in very poor condition. Dalhousie’s goal is to build a sustainable, accessible campus that supports modern housing options that contribute to greatly needed supply, with buildings that are developed to high standards of safety, efficiency, and accessibility. 1245 Edward Street does not meet these objectives. Investing in preservation of low-density housing that does not meet these criteria is not the answer to affordable housing needs for students or citizens.

We will work with regulatory bodies to ensure the building is secure from an environmental and public safety perspective, while respecting proper processes and procedures. This may entail limited activity on site.