"These are our buildings."

 House of Commons Ottawa February 9, 2001 MP Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, NDP): "The federal government owns 68,000 buildings."

Recently sold for housing: The Kingston Pen and 3 more Corrections Canada properties on King Street. 

• Kingston Penitentiary is a National Historic Site of Canada and a Classified Federal Heritage Building. The City of Kingston wants the perimeter walls removed to accommodate buses and cars, and guard towers cannot interfere with views of Lake Ontario. The southern half of the Pen will be demolished for residential housing.
• The Isabel MacNeill Halfway House for Women, 525 King Street West. Was protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act.
• St. Helen's Complex, 440 King Street West. It was protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act.
• Stone Gables, 462 King Street West, created by inmates of KP with limestone. Protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act. 

Sold in the year 2007:

• Vancouver - 401 Burrard Street and the Sinclair Centre
• Edmonton - Canada Place
• Toronto - Joseph Shepard
• Montreal - 4225 Dorchester and 305 Rene-Levesque West

A video called "PSAC National President John Gordon Delivers Speech" is on YouTube. Comments by NDP MP Peggy Nash: "Our job representing Canadians on the Government Operations and Estimates Committee is to ensure that spending from the federal government is in the best interest of Canadians. We are the democratic stewards of the tax dollars paid by Canadians."

 "So you would think, that with a sale like this, hundreds of millions of dollars of Crown assets, that we would be informed as to the details of such a huge sale that is going to affect the well-being of Canadians...Our parents and grandparents have worked very hard over the years and our tax dollars have paid for these buildings, for the assets of the people of Canada. These are our buildings."

When Government of Canada buildings are privatized, our Maple Leaf Flag, Coat of Arms and the names of prominent people are stripped from the edifice. House of Commons Ottawa February 7, 1994 Mr. Alex Shepherd (Durham) Liberal: "Mr. Speaker, those of us who are proud Canadians are offended that CP Rail has decided to change its logo into what in effect looks like the Canadian flag becoming or being subsumed into the American flag. Regardless of CP's rights as a private company to choose any logo it wants, Canadians should have a voice in this matter."

The Stanley Park National Historic Site of Canada.

The park was designated a National Historic Site of Canada by the federal government in 1988. Prior to 1988 there were attempts to transfer ownership, from the Crown to the province and to the City of Vancouver.

Stanley Park

Property Number: 16938

Custodian: Parks Canada Agency

Official Contact: General Enquiries---Telephone (888-773-8888) Email information @pc.gc.ca

Interest: Crown Owned

Restriction: No Restriction

Primary Use: Parks and Recreation

Address: George Street, Stanley Park

Place Name: Stanley Park

Municipality: Vancouver

Province/Territory: British Columbia

Federal Electoral District: Vancouver Centre

Census Classification: Urban

Land Area: 384.4514 ha

Building Count: 0

Floor Area: 0 sq. m.

Record Created On: February 21st, 1990

Record Last Modified On: October 27th, 2022

Stanley Park in Vancouver is Dominion, Ordnance and Admiralty Land, reserved for the defence of Canada.

The Canada Public Land Bank wants to sell properties that belong to Canadians.

Red Flags---

• Zoning laws, land use regulations and environmental assessments will be removed because "they create significant delays."
• Buildings that our ancestors built and paid for are being given away. (From: Submission to the Federal Minister of Public Services and Procurement, October 18, 2024.)

Land Use Regulations that should be preserved, in my opinion:

• National Historic Site of Canada
• National Interest Land Mass - Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen created the National Interest Land Mass designation in 1988 1.) to prevent government entities including the City of Ottawa and NCC from using federal property as a land bank. 2.) to stop the privatization of Crown assets that belong to all Canadians.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 900 square miles in the National Capital Region are dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers who were killed fighting in foreign wars
• Parks Canada Act
• Heritage Conservation District
• Museums Act
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
• Cultural Heritage Landscape
• Classified and Recognized Federal Heritage Building
• Dominion, Ordnance and Admiralty Land
• By-laws---"File contains material regarding by-laws to protect Sparks Street; commercial development on Zellers Building Site; controls on urban development; height and slant restrictions on buildings (The Brouse Building; The Slater Building; The Bate Building; The Birks Building)Simpson's store; The Bank of Canada; St. Andrew's Church development." (Google: Romeo LeBlanc, NCC, March 1983 to May 1984, page 11/19.)

Zoning Gatineau Park - "The NCC has prepared a new zoning plan for Gatineau Park which, among other things, will preserve strictly the park's wilderness area." (1975-1976 Annual Report of the NCC, page 21/52.)

Already targeted by the Canada Public Land Bank---

Hurdman North, a parcel west of Riverside Drive and south of Highway 417 (4,000 units)

315 Terminal Avenue Ottawa (300 units)

1460 Riverside Drive Ottawa (500 units)

1250 Ledbury Avenue Ottawa (up to 200 units)

Southern Corridor, Woodroffe Avenue at Norice Street South Ottawa (1,000 units)

210 Laurier, Gatineau (up to 400 units)

1055 Aylmer, Gatineau (200 units)

Rochester Field on 529 Richmond Road

Kingston Penitentiary National Historic Site

Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary National Historic Site in Laval, Quebec.

CBC buildings in Ottawa--- Edward Drake Building on 1500 Bronson; and the Graham Spry Building on 250 Lanark.

Rideau Falls Lab, 1 John Street in Ottawa

L'Esplanade Laurier

The following properties are most likely on the radar of the Canada Public Land Bank

Gatineau Park

The Ottawa Greenbelt

Lebreton Flats

Portsmouth Olympic Harbour in Kingston

Vincent Massey Park

Hog's Back Park

House of Commons Ottawa December 14, 1970 The Hon. Arthur Laing (Minister of Public Works) Liberal: "The area of land owned by the federal government as recorded in the Central Inventory of Federal Properties by province is:

• Newfoundland - 96, 041 acres
• Prince Edward Island - 1, 353 acres
• Nova Scotia - 22, 514 acres
• New Brunswick - 318, 532 acres
• Quebec - 280, 485 acres
• Manitoba - 51, 707 acres
• Saskatchewan - 77, 445 acres
• Alberta - 101, 751 acres
• British Columbia - 164, 158 acres
• Yukon Territories - 21, 125 acres
• Northwest Territories - 90, 193 

Includes only those properties that are being utilized by federal departments and agencies. 

One dollar real estate deals:

1.) The Fraser Institute recommended that all the national parks in British Columbia be transferred to the province:

• Stanley Park
• Pacific Rim
• Gulf Islands
• Yoho
• Kootenay
• Mount Revelstoke
• Gwaii Hannas
• Glacier
  

2.) The Fraser Institute wanted to see the transfer of all CMHC properties to the province of B.C.

3.) An agreement to sell the Laurier and Mackenzie Bridges that span the Rideau Canal, to the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton for the consideration of one dollar. (1995-1996 NCC Annual Report, page 45/111.)

4.) Paul Martin Sr. Federal Building in Windsor was donated to the City of Windsor.

5.) Windsor Armoury was given to the University of Windsor.

6.) "Kingston buys prime waterfront land from federal government for a token sum of $2 dollars." by billhutchins, Global News.

7.) The 4,000 plus acre Greenbelt Research Farm on 1740 Woodroffe Avenue was sold for $1 dollar to the NCC. All of the animals were removed and the barns and silos were torn down.

8.) CBC Headquarters on 354 Jarvis Street, Rosedale in Toronto were donated to the National Ballet School.

Land beside Maplelawn will be used for affordable housing.

Maplelawn is a Classified Federal Heritage Building located at 529 Richmond Road in Ottawa. And the Maplelawn House and Gardens are National Historic Sites of Canada. National Historic Sites are legally protected by buffer zones.

"A representative from the office of the Minister of PSPC said certain features, like windows and the exterior will need to be preserved. By adding 529 Richmond Road to the Land Bank, PSPC will have the opportunity to vet applications and choose contractors that meet certain criteria for protecting the building's heritage."

 "Say goodbye to Rochester Field"

 "NCC looks to revive 'controversial' Rochester Field development though the land bank. The federal government has added the site at 529 Richmond Road to the Canada Public Land Bank" by Catherine Morrison, Ottawa Citizen, November 19, 2024.

"Federal land in Ottawa's west end now available for housing" by Josh Pringle, CTV News, October 8, 2024.

Maplelawn and Gardens National Historic Site of Canada

Address: 529 Richmond Road, Westboro, Ottawa Ontario

Recognition Statute: Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. H-4)

Designation Date: 1989-06-22   more

Ottawa city councillor Jeff Leiper is opposed to what is happening. Councillor Leiper: "For over a century, Rochester Field has been a jewel in Westboro. If a plan is rushed forward through City zoning by the National Capital Commission, we'll lose the best parts of it forever. It's time to take a second look."

"Rochester Field is a large NCC parcel that straddles the land from the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway to Richmond Road. It is a barely maintained space. Through the years cow paths have been worn along natural desire lines as dog-walkers and people walking to the Dominion transit station have used the field, while the rest of it has lain largely fallow as habitat for various flora and fauna. 

Amy's Corner by Amy Kempster Champlain Speaker, March 2004, Volume 23, Number 6: "The land closest to our community is west and north of Maplelawn fronting on Richmond Road. If the National Capital Commission wins their appeal (with the Ontario Municipal Board) they could then ask for a zoning amendment. Their appeal states that this parcel is not deemed to form part of the National Interest Land Mass (Note: The Lebreton Flats are part of the National Interest Land Mass, but thousands of residential units and a stadium are destined for the lot.).In his campaign literature our councillor suggested he would ask the city to obtain Maplelawn field (Rochester Field) for a park, so perhaps he knew it was in danger of disposal."

The Cole and Rochester families sold 529 Richmond Road to the Federal District Commission, now known as the NCC. But the Deed stipulated that the land would remain a greenspace, for people to enjoy in perpetuity. However, 40 trees were chopped down fairly recently and condos are planned for the site.

Green Living Ottawa Practising Urban Environmentalism (Part of the Internet article.) 'We pride ourselves on being a city with an impressive amount of green space. However, unless we have a clear vision, commitment and political leadership to protect these green spaces, they will disappear.'

'Rochester Field is one such space...it is well used by residents as a recreational pathway along the Ottawa River and to the Transitway, as well as a place to run, explore nature, fly kites and walk dogs. The City zoned it as Parks and Open Space, which the National Capital Commission appealed in 2003.' (The park is 3.8 hectares or 9.39 acres, and the article is from January 22, 2018.)

 

The uncertain future of the Lebreton Flats.

 "Federal, scenic highways and parks in the National Capital Region are dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers who died fighting in foreign wars. They will be owned by the citizens of Canada in perpetuity." (Greber Report of 1950, page 228/395.)

Parkland in the National Capital Region that cannot be sold or subdivided:

• LeBreton Common
• Confederation
• Jacques Cartier
• Rockcliffe
• Rideau Falls
• Major's Hill
• Commissioners - envisioned as a parking lot for the Ottawa Hospital.
• Hog's Back/Vincent Massey
• Leamy Lake 
• Brebuef (Information about Key Capital Parks is from "NCC land holdings outside Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt."1999)

 CMHC and Wartime Housing Ltd created housing for World War 11 veterans on Lebreton" "Wartime Housing Ltd. was a federal agency founded in 1946 to house returning war veterans."

"NCC won't pay tax-like fees for LeBreton Flats, arguing it's a park." by Elyse Skura, CBC News, January 8, 2025.

This land is part of the Parliamentary Precinct in Ottawa House of Commons Ottawa November 23, 1967 The Hon. George McIlraith (Minister of Public Works):"The Lebreton Flats were envisioned as a western extension of the Parliamentary Precinct. Buildings on or near the Parliamentary Precinct cannot be any taller than the Peace Tower."

House of Commons Ottawa February 23, 1965 The Hon. Mr. Cardin (Minister of Public Works, Liberal): "Some time ago a decision was reached to construct the Department of National Defence headquarters building in Lebreton Flats. At that time it was decided that other government buildings should be located in the same area, forming a government complex of office buildings in the area from Parliament Hill west to Lebreton Flats."

House of Commons Ottawa November 22, 1991 Mr. Mac Harb (Ottawa Centre, Liberal)): "We have approximately 150 acres of land on the Flats...In the summer part of the flats is used for camping, balloonists and people who might want to take a walk."

The 130-acre landscape in 1983. House of Commons Ottawa November 23, 1967 The Hon. George McIlraith (Minister of Public Works): "The land is 4,450 feet from the Peace Tower, less than a mile."

The Canadian National Parks Act S.C 2000, c.32---Clause 4 (1) "The National Parks of Canada are hereby dedicated to the people of Canada for their benefit, education and enjoyment...The parks shall be maintained and made use of so as to leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future Canadians."

1992

Designated a National Interest Land Mass "Land forming part of the NILM will be retained by the National Capital Commission on behalf of the government in perpetuity, for purposes which lie at the core of the NCC's mandate; and will be managed by the NCC with little or no further involvement by the Treasury Board Secretariat."

• Part of Lebreton Flats N of Transitway - 65.37 ha, or 161.53279 acres.(Google: 1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC Land Holdings.)

House of Commons Ottawa June 16, 1966 MP Stanley Knowles (Winnipeg North Centre, NDP) Public Buildings in Ottawa---Height of Proposed National Defence Headquarters on the Lebreton Flats "I understand that the height of the Peace Tower, from its base to the top of the tower is 296 feet. The information given us concerning the proposed national defence headquarters is that the height of the building from the ground to the top would be 450 feet."

"I think that the skyline of the city of Ottawa is something of which we can be proud. A tower that is only a few blocks away, rising higher than the Peace Tower, would detract from the Peace Tower and spoil the skyline of the city of Ottawa."

"I think that a government that is in power for only a short time has to be careful when it takes a course of action that has an effect for decades, perhaps for half a century or a century. Mr. Speaker, one newspaper in an editorial against me says that I am living in the past and asks if I do not realize that skyscrapers reflect progress. I think the story of the Tower of Babel gives the answer to that. I hope we are not going to build another one." (Note: The Dream LeBreton condos will be 36 and 31 storeys high.  Developers can appeal to the City of Ottawa and the Ontario Municipal Board to remove any height restrictions.)

Proposal to sell Moffat Farm "This inquiry is about the NCC and its endeavours to sell a national capital parkland. These are public lands. They are not the private land holdings of a private developer. There is burgeoning public unhappiness about the destiny of the national capital parklands, like Vincent Massey and Hog's Back, which are similarly zoned and similarly at risk." (Proposal to sell Moffat Farm, Senate Debate April 23, 2002,)

 

The Lebreton Park encompassed 173 acres in 1992, not 8. Proof---1992 Directory of Federal Real Property, page 377.The document is on this page.

Similarities between Alcatraz and the Kingston Pen. Updating.

• They are popular tourist attractions. The Pen is Canada's Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal.
• Alcatraz is an American National Historic Landmark, and the Pen was a National Historic Site of Canada and a Classified Federal Heritage Building.
• In 2008 the San Francisco landmark faced demolition; KP may lose 11 buildings, the perimeter walls, a parking lot and guard towers. 
• Alcatraz was built on a huge limestone rock, hence the nickname "The Rock." The Kingston prison was created with limestone and constructed by the inmates.
• They were filming locations: 'The Rock' starring Nicholas Cage and Ed Harris; 'Escape from Alcatraz' with Clint Eastwood, and 'Point Blank' with Lee Marvin. KP was a backdrop for 'Alias Grace' and a YouTube video 'Vera Sola---Small Minds' by Danielle Aykroyd.
• Nicknames---Alcatraz is known as 'The Rock' and 'Uncle Sam's Devil Island'. The Kingston prison is 'The Big House' and 'KP'.
• Songs---'Alcatraz' by Leon Russell in 1971; '89 Days of Alcatraz' by Emm Gryner; 'Alcatraz' by Nazareth. (Songs that Linda Ronstadt performed at a Tennessee prison were 'Desperado' and 'You're No Good.')
• More songs---'Time off for Good Behaviour' by Neil Young; Gord Downie wrote about Millhaven which is located a few miles down the road---'He's 38 years old.' The Ramblers recorded 'Misbehavin' in Millhaven." And The Blue Diamonds concert 'Live at Collins Bay Penitentiary' is on YouTube.

The Ontario government is protecting the former Guelph prison.

The June 10, 2021 article is by Dan Gibson. 

 Guelph Reformatory.

The Ontario Heritage Act Part 1V would apply to the entire property at 785 York Road, known as the Guelph Correctional Centre or Ontario Reformatory, and sets out the following heritage attributes for protection:

• 58 acres or 143.321 acres of the property recognized as a cultural heritage landscape and as a property of provincial significance.
• 12 buildings, including the administration building, superintendent's residence, Willowbank Hall, detention complex, machine shop and greenhouse. 
• Ornamental grounds including stone walls, fences, stairs, gates and gateposts along York Road, terraced gardens, the ponds, bridge, waterways and mature trees planted along roads.
• Circulation patterns on the property.
• Open areas and clear sight lines around the main detention complex. 
  
  
  

 

Prime agricultural land on Collins Bay and Joyceville is off-limits for housing.

 "Contiguous blocks of land are considered as prime agricultural sites because they provide prospects for agriculture both now and in the future...Farmland protection is crucial for Ontario, especially for the southern part of the province since that is where it is anticipated that the majority of future urban growth will take place." ("Land use change detection and quantification of prime agricultural lands in southern Ontario---Geoderma Regional, Volume 37, June 2024.")

Permitted uses of land on specialty crop areas Under certain conditions, infrastructure (for example roads, pipelines) and mineral aggregate extraction may be permitted. Other non-agricultural uses, including settlement areas, are not permitted." (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, March 21, 2024.)

 The majority of high agricultural capability is found in southern Ontario. The map is from Study Area 2, Geoderma Regional, Volume 37, June of 2024.

Bill 27, Protecting Agricultural Land Act, 2022, Legislative Assembly of Ontario (John Vanthof, Timiskaming-Cochrane); Status: Carried on October 27, 2022.

Guidelines on Permitted Uses in Ontario's Prime Agricultural Areas---Publication 851. "Ontario's prime agricultural land is a finite, non-renewable resource comprising less than 5% of Ontario's land base. It is the foundation for food, the food economy, agri-food exports, economic prosperity, and the growing bio-based economy. (page 5/64.) 

A federal prison was sold to Quebec in 2018.

A Montreal Gazette photo of the Leclerc prison in Laval.

Collins Bay potential loss of property: "The possibility of a change of ownership of the site allows for the exploration of the opportunities the site presents." (The Frontenac Institution Lands---Queens University, a 2009 document, page 117.)

City of Kingston Official Plan "The special planning area includes the Collins Bay Institution and a portion of Canadian Forces Base Kingston. Both of these areas could be the subject of further development in the future." (May 1, 2018, page 49.)

Collins Bay land is needed for agriculture.

 Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson---the Pen should not be used for housing: "We know that there are other federal properties that have enormous potential for housing" the mayor said. "For example, the land surrounding Collins Bay Penitentiary. I think it would be perfect for houses. So I don't understand the decision-making process on how a property that is so important for tourism and film ended up on a list to build affordable housing." ("From prison to prime time. Kingston Penitentiary is a significant part of city" by Maegen Kulchar, Kingston Whig-Standard, March 14, 2025.)

House of Commons Ottawa May 26, 2010 The Hon. Jack Layton, NDP: "With respect to the prison farms program currently operated by Correctional Services Canada (CSC) (a) what plans exist for the use and/or sale of the land currently used by prison farms over the last five years (b) what is the estimated value of the land currently used by the prison farms program (c) what, if any, internal or external consultations have taken place about the sale of the land currently used by the program (d) how many jobs will be directly and indirectly affected by the closure of the program (e) how many food banks will be affected by the closure of the program (f) what external CSC and external third-party evaluations exist on the efficacy of the program (g) how were these evaluations considered in the decision to terminate the program." 

"Joyceville and Pittsburgh farm land could be worth $2 million dollars, while the Regional Headquarters at 440 and 462 King Street West could net $17 million dollars." (A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety, 2007, page 208.)

A letter that I wrote to Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre on July 27, 2010. Reposting.

Collins Bay Institution farm officially opens. Article and photo by Michelle Allan, The Kingstonist, August 15, 2019.

Warkworth Institution may be sold and flattened.

Warkworth Ontario.

"CSC has estimated that the sale of Warkworth will equal the cost of demolition, Kingston Penitentiary will remain a heritage property and Millhaven will remain CSC property because of its proximity to the Bath Institution." ("A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety" by Rob Sampson, October of 2007, page 208/255,) 

Directory of Federal Real Property

Warkworth Institution

Property Number: 09612

Custodian: Correctional Service of Canada

Interest: Crown Owned

Restriction: No Restriction

Primary Use: Law Enforcement and Corrections

Address: County Road 29, PO Box 760

Place Name: no data

Municipality: Brighton

Province/Territory: Ontario

Federal Electoral District: Northumberland-Peterborough South

Census Classification: Rural

Land Area: 76.5230 ha

Building Count: 46

Floor Area: 36, 542 sq. m.

Record Created On: January 18th, 1990

Record Last Modified On: December 16th, 2019

Future of Warkworth Prison still up in the air "...In October, 2007, the Correctional Service of Canada Review Board recommended the closure of the penitentiary, as well as prisons in Pittsburgh, Joyceville, Millhaven and Kingston." (Northumberland News, April 21, 2009.)

Plans were underway to sell Collins Bay Institution.

 "Located in the urban boundary of the City of Kingston, the Frontenac Institution Lands consist of 338 hectares (835.216 acres) of land currently operated by the Correctional Service of Canada as a penal farm...Its diverse landscape consists of prime agricultural lands, forest, wetlands and floodplains. The possibility of a change of ownership to the site allows for the exploration of the opportunities the site presents." (Frontenac Institution Lands--Queens University, page 117.)  

Demolition of 2 silos and Building FF27, September 29, 2024. 

Planning Decisions

6.3.1 - Residential

6.3.2 - Neighbourhood Commercial

6.3.3 - Community Facilities

6.3.4 - Agriculture

6.3.5 - Protected Area and Open Space

6.3.6 - Transportation

(Pages 71, 72, 73 and 74 of the document Frontenac Institution Lands---Queens University.)

A recent letter from the Hon. Mark Gerretsen to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement.

 

Save Canada's federal prisons.

"The City wants the next federal government to transform the old Saint-Vincent-de-Paul penitentiary into an educational, cultural and tourism destination. 'We firmly believe that we could in conjunction with a partnership with the federal level completely revitalize the Old Pen site to fully bring out the value of this heritage site while enhancing the core of the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul village' said Mayor Marc Demers.  (The Laval News, George Bakoyannis, October 9, 2019.) 

National Trust for Canada. Historic federal penitentiary wasting away---why it matters ."From the time of its opening in 1873 until its closure in 1983, the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary was the country's only francophone correctional facility. In 1990 the imposing structure, which is Canada's second oldest federal penitentiary, was designated a National Historic Site due to the important role it played in Quebec's social history."

UNESCO is saving the Freemantle Prison in Australia. UNESCO should protect the Laval Pen and the following properties in the Limestone City: 

• Collins Bay 
• Kingston Pen
• Prison for Women
• Millhaven 
• Regional Treatment Centre
• Joyceville
• Pittsburgh
• St. Helens
• Isabel MacNeill Halfway House

Prison for Women---P4W "The report to council requests direction on taller buildings on the site, and removing the heritage attributes of the current designation." (City of Kingston Heritage Properties Working Group, June 26, 2018.) The City wants to remove all of the heritage designations from P4W including National Historic Site of Canada and Classified Federal Heritage Building. The perimeter walls have already been bulldozed-savecfbrockcliffe. 

City of Kingston Official Plan---Special Planning Areas "The special planning area includes the Collins Bay Institution and a portion of Canadian Forces Base Kingston. Both of these areas could be the subject of further development in the future." (May 1, 2018, page 49.)

 "Selective demolition of the Main Walls can provide entrances for automobiles and buses." (City of Kingston Projects--Kingston Penitentiary and the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, page 74.)

Directory of Federal Real Property 1992.

The Laval Pen was supposed to be a national museum.

 House of Commons Ottawa April 21, 1989 Mr. Vincent Della Noce (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue) Progressive Conservative: "How would you like to spend a day in prison? Not to worry--not as a prisoner, but rather as a tourist! From June 3 to June 30 1989, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul will host a major tourist, cultural and educational event, with more than 100 young students working there and more than 300,000 people visiting.

After 117 years of history, Mr. Speaker, the old Saint-Vincent-de-Paul penitentiary will be open to the public at large, and I invite not only hon. members but the Canadian public to visit that historical place in order to better understand human realities. Thanks to the strenuous work done by committees from the correctional service and local people, the premises will be set up to show that hidden side that people at large never had an opportunity to see. Tickets will be available through the Ticketron network for approximately $1.

I would invite the general public to take this unique opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Laval to celebrate the beginnings of a national historical museum. This old dream of mine today is partly achieved." 

Why the Laval Pen should not be demolished, in order to make way for condos.

 

Parks Canada information on the Laval Penitentiary

Address: 160 Montee Saint-Francois, Laval, Quebec

Recognition Statute: Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. H-4)

Designation Date: 1990-02-23

Dates: 1873 to 1989 (Significant)

Other Names: Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary (Designation Name)

Description of Historic Place  A monumental stone prison with a severe, forbidding presence, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary National Historic Site of Canada is located in Laval, Quebec. Opened in 1873 in a facility previously constructed as a reformatory, it was Canada's second federal penitentiary, and served as the country's sole francophone correctional facility from 1873 until it closed in 1989. The designation refers to the penitentiary buildings on the legal lot.

Heritage Value Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990. It was designated because of its important place in the social history of Quebec. Originally built in 1873, most of the present institution was constructed in the 1930s and 1940s. The architecture of the original facility, which planned for only an administration building and a cellblock, was unimpressive, and the penitentiary has been altered so significantly that it has lost its original Greek cross cell block configuration.

The heritage value of the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary National Historic Site lies in its witness to over a century of criminal justice in Canada in general and, particularly, in Quebec. Heritage value resides in the recognizable public presence of the institution which includes its exterior appearance, its site and setting. It can also be found in the relics of life within the inside walls. Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, 1990.

Character-Defining Elements Key elements that contribute to the heritage character of the site include the high, surrounding stone wall which provides the distinctive public face of the institution; the penitentiaries large scale, cohesive form, and distinctive flat-topped profile broken only by guard towers with turrets.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directory of Federal Real Property website. Laval Penitentiary, Property Number 12287. Record Created On: February 10th, 2005. Record Modified On: November 22, 2024.

Organization: Correctional Service of Canada

Use (s): Law Enforcement and Corrections

Interest: Crown Owned

Address: Montee Saint-Francois

Municipality: Laval, Quebec

Land Area: (ha) 23.2000

Buildings: 24

Floor Area: (sq. m.) 17, 461

Heritage Buildings:

• 101024 - Main Cellblock
• 101029 - Main Cellblock
• 101030 - Main Cellblock
• 101034 - Main Cellblock
• 101038 - Towers
• 101039 - Towers
• 101040 - Towers
• 101041 - Towers
  

The Main Cellblock is located within the walls of the compound of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary. It is an imposing, stone structure built of enormous blocks of limestone with details including tall arched windows, cut-stone lug sills and voussoirs at the north wing. As well, a convex, mansard roof, topped by a roofed monitor, is visible from outside the compound. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

The Guard Towers The Towers are prominently located at the four corners of the enclosing walls at the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary. Each of the four towers is comprised of a concrete shaft veneered with dressed stone and surmounted by a concrete platform with a circular frame guardhouse capped by a steep octagonal roof. The guardhouses open onto the walkways along the top of the enclosing walls, either directly or by metal stairs. The designation is confined to the footprint of the towers.

"The time has come to put an end to tariffs, and to move in the opposite direction."

A report from the League of Nations World Economic Conference in 1927.

March 8, 2025---Another historic prison in Canada will be sold for housing.

The St-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary in Laval, Quebec is a National Historic Site of Canada. On April 25, 2019 I wrote the following on my blog savecfbrockcliffe:

"Is some type of mind-control experiment, a psyop being perpetrated on the citizens of my country? There must be a reason for the destruction of the Kingston, Laval and New Westminster prisons for housing; for the privatization of 1,000 lighthouses; the sale of Canada Post and CBC buildings; armouries and train stations. People fight for what they love---National Parks, architectural wonders; waterways...

"Symbols are important---they unite a country and give people a sense of nationalism, a sense of pride and continuity. I grieve when I see a National Historic Site demolished or neglected--- a railway station, an aircraft hangar at Downsview. I feel a sense of loss when Canada's Maple Leaf Flag and Coat of Arms are stripped from government buildings when they are privatized. We are losing our sense of identity, our collective soul, when traditions become obsolete, when landmarks are leveled or sold to foreigners.

"I could not care less about trips to outer space, because I believe that the super-rich want to colonize other galactic dimensions. I care about my own country, my fellow Canadians, wildlife and the environment. The barbarians are still at the gates and they want more---more Crown corporations, Crown property and natural resources." Crown corporations we may lose are Via Rail, the CBC and Canada Post.

Similarities between the Laval and Kingston Penitentiaries

• they were both created with limestone and will last for thousands of years. 
• they were built by the inmates
• are targeted for massive redevelopment including high rise condos, townhouses and hotels.
• heritage groups are trying to save the properties.
• KP was a filming location for Alias Grace; Superman 1, the last scene; and The Blues Brothers 2000. Laval is featured in Death Race and Battlefield Earth.

Joan Allen played a sadistic warden in the movie Death Race:

Collins Bay Pen aka Disneyland North.

Toronto politicians John Sewell and David Crombie saved the Don Jail on 550 Gerrard Street East from demolition.

Mike is in the Don Jail. From Episode 1, Season 6 of the tv program Suits.

This is not my dog Lola but her double.

Stanley Park in Vancouver, B.C.

 "The park was designated a National Historic Site of Canada by the federal government in 1988. It was deemed significant because of the relationship between its 'natural environmental and its cultural elements developed over time' and because it epitomizes the large urban park in Canada".

Who owns Stanley Park? "Today, under Canadian law, the federal government owns the land, leasing it out to the City of Vancouver. That relationship is currently being reviewed as the Vancouver Parks Board conducts a colonial audit to map the history and potential future of Stanley Park. December 7, 2022." Wikipedia.

A mid-1980's document.

House of Commons Ottawa February 17, 1970 MP John Leroy Skoberg (Moose Jaw, Sask.) NDP: "...If we wish to retain our identity and have truly national parks it is high time we kept these national parks in perpetuity."

Canada's lakes and rivers.

The Rideau Canal was built between 1826 and 1832. 

House of Commons Ottawa June 1, 1950 Mr. George Taylor Fulford (Leeds) Liberal: "The great chain of Rideau Lakes form an integral part of the Rideau Canal system. As we all know, the Rideau Canal is of particular historic importance. It was built after the War of 1812 by British army engineers. There was a rather quaint treaty signed between Great Britain and Canada when the Canal system was handed over to Canada. One of the clauses of the treaty said that Canada would maintain the canal system as long as the grass was green and the sky was blue above."

House of Commons Ottawa November 27, 1964 Mr. Ralph Cowan (York-Humber) Liberal: "Many years ago the government built the Rideau Canal. I was born on the banks of the Rideau and I was raised on the banks of the Trent in Peterborough. These two canals were built at government expense. A commission recommends that they should be sold, or turned over to the province of Ontario as tourist attractions because they are of no future value to the federal government."

House of Commons Ottawa June 1, 1994 Mr. Jim Jordan (Leeds-Grenville) Liberal: "Mr. Speaker, on May 22 I had the pleasure of assisting at the opening of the Rideau Canal for another season.

Completed in 1832 to give access to the Great Lakes from the nation's capital, the canal today offers 202 kilometres of clear, pristine waters through a total of 47 locks. Hundreds of pleasure craft annually move leisurely along through the canal and pages and pages of Canada's history." 

The BNA Act of 1867 - Provincial Public Works and Property to be the Property of Canada "The Government of Canada will own Canals, with Lands and Water connected therewith." more

A wonderful 4-hour documentary produced by TV Ontario in 2020. A YouTube video.

Photos of Big Rideau Lake near Portland, during the summer of 2024:

Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"Renowned for their scenic splendor, the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks are comprised of Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks and Mount Robson, Assiniboine and Hamber Provincial Parks. Together they exemplify the outstanding physical features of the Rocky Mountain Biogeographical Province." UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

The Limestone City.

Many landmarks in Kingston, Ontario were created with limestone--- Fort Henry; the Martello Towers; the Pen; Royal Military College; Queen's University; Kingston General Hospital; Rockwood Hospital; Prison for Women; City Hall; Church of the Good Thief; Cedarhedge, now the Corrections Canada Museum; the Armoury; Old Post Office; Collins Bay Institution...

A Government of Canada building, 86 Clarence Street and 294 King Street East.

The Armoury, 100 Montreal Street. Photos are from the Directory of Federal Real Property website.