Halifax Loses Majority of Pre-1878 Heritage Buildings

A new mapping project reveals that only 1,143 of the nearly 9,000 historical buildings from 1878 still stand in Halifax.

The Halifax Memory Maps project, led by Saint Mary's University, highlights the drastic reduction in historical buildings since 1878.
Only 381 of the surviving buildings are protected as municipally registered heritage properties.
Redevelopment, fires, and the Halifax Explosion of 1917 have contributed to the loss of these structures.
Between 2009 and 2019, 30% of unregistered heritage buildings in downtown Halifax were demolished.
The project aims to encourage thoughtful preservation of Halifax's architectural history.