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• Council Reports

• Background on Heritage Considerations

• Health and Safety

• Questions and Answers

On September 8, 2025, GE Vernova submitted to the City of Peterborough a Notice of Intent to demolish several vacant buildings, that together make up almost 84,500 square metres (910,000 square feet) of industrial buildings, at its property at 107 Park St. N.

The property is currently developed with about 104,000 square metres (1.1 million square feet) of building area.

Since the property is listed on the City's Heritage Register as a property of cultural heritage value or interest, the Notice of Intent to demolish provided a 60-day waiting period to give Council the opportunity to consider whether to designate the property under the Heritage Act.

Council directions in October and November 2025

Council considered a report at its meetings on October 6 and 14, 2025, and approved the following:

• Stating that Council has no interest in pursuing heritage designation of 107 Park St. N. with the exception of identified buildings including 2, 2A, 8a, 24A, 21, 26, 28, and 30;
• Directing that Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee be consulted on the appropriateness of designating buildings including 2, 2A, 8a, 24A, 21, 26, 28 and 30 at 107 Park St. N. under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act; and
• Directing that staff come back to Council with an outline for a health and safety plan for the GE site and its broader impacts.

Council considered a report at its meetings on November 3 and 4, 2025, and approved the following:

• Receiving a recommendation from Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that Council designate the property at 107 Park St. N. as a Cultural Heritage Landscape; and
• That Council serve Notice of Intention to Designate 107 Park St. N. and as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act R.S.O. 1990, c.O.18, consistent with Council’s Resolution dated October 14, 2025.

Heritage designation - reasons for designation

The former Canadian General Electric plant at 107 Park Street North has strong cultural heritage value through its associations with Peterborough’s industrial and labour history. Established in 1891 as the Canadian works of the Edison General Electric Company and later operating as Canadian General Electric, the complex played a central role in the city’s emergence as a national centre of electrical manufacturing and innovation. The plant produced generators, motors, transformers, and lighting equipment, later expanding to locomotives and street railways. It contributed significantly to Canada’s war efforts in both World Wars, manufacturing military components. The site also reflects the social evolution of the industrial workforce, particularly through the recruitment of women during wartime production. The plant was in continuous production for 127 years until its closure in 2018.

Architecturally, the complex demonstrates the evolution of industrial design from the Late Victorian and Edwardian periods to postwar modernism. Early brick buildings such as 2, 2A, 8A and 30 exhibit fine craftsmanship, decorative brickwork, and large fenestration typical of early factory architecture, while later additions illustrate functional modern industrial construction.

The former large GE manufacturing complex is an integral aspect of the neighbourhood. The plant’s location, form, and enduring presence have shaped the surrounding residential and transportation patterns and remain integral to understanding Peterborough’s industrial development. The property stands as a landmark and enduring symbol of the city’s identity as “The Electric City” and of its contribution to Canada’s technological and economic growth.

Notices of Objection on heritage designation

GE Vernova and a tenant of its property at 107 Park St. N., BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc., filed notices of objection to the heritage designation of the property on November 28 and December 5, 2025, respectively.

Council considered a report on the Notices of Objection at its meeting on February 17, 2026.

Council endorsed proceeding with the heritage designation of the property and certain identified buildings on the property; however, it decided to remove Buildings 21, 24A, 26 and 28 from the list of Heritage Attributes, based on the notice of objection from BWXT.

In their letter, GE Vernova objected to the designation, citing concerns over the limitations that designation would place on the planned demolition of buildings on the property not explicitly mentioned in the prepared Heritage Impact Assessment as having cultural heritage value or significance. The objection further cited perceived hinderance to both ongoing use and any modest expansions which may occur on the property in future.

BWXT, which leases a portion of the property from the owner, has also objected to the heritage designation, citing the hinderance the heritage permit process could place on future development and alteration on the site.

BWXT is a strategically significant employer in the City of Peterborough and a key participant in Canada’s nuclear supply chain. The nuclear sector is a priority area for the federal government and Peterborough’s concentration of nuclear-related firms, skilled trades, and engineering capacity positions the city as an important contributor to these national objectives, with BWXT representing an important part of this local industrial base.

Health and safety considerations

At its meeting on February 17, Council endorsed receiving for information a report on the 107 Park St. N. building demolition site considerations related to health and safety.

At its meeting of October 14, 2025, Council directed Staff to come back to Council with an outline for a Health and Safety Plan for the GE Vernova Site and its broader impacts. The Report provides an overview of the agencies and authorities involved in community and environmental protection, and the delineation of responsibilities between them.

As the City does not have the authority to require a Health and Safety Approach (HASA), the framework is one proposed approach for GE Verona (GE) at the 107 Park St. N. site to consider and to incorporate into its own building demolition processes; and is intended to guide how community health, environmental protection and transparent communication can be coordinated between GE, the City, and all relevant Provincial, and Public Health agencies.

City Staff engaged staff from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), Lakeland Public Health, and GE to understand current activities and future steps. A Health and Safety Plan (HASP) generic guideline was prepared and reviewed with the agencies as a starting point for guiding community engagement and safety considerations.

Before demolition can proceed, GE will need to make an application and meet submission requirements for a Demolition Permit under the Ontario Building Code (OBC). Once all submission requirements are confirmed, the Chief Building Official has 20 business days to issue the Permit.

Although the City has no legislated authority to require the completion of a HASP before demolition is started, GE is aware of the City’s request to provide a HASP.

Staff understands that Council’s motivation to request for additional information from GE concerning its proposed building demolitions is a desire to limit the potential risk of environmental and adverse impacts related to the fears about historic contamination and contaminants being on the site.