City Council meeting overview package for November 4, 2025

Peterborough, ON - City Council approved proceeding with heritage designations for certain buildings on the General Electric property at 107 Park St. N., during its Special City Council meeting in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 500 George St. N., on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

Council approved the following directions:

• That the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee's recommendation that Council designate the property at 107 Park St. N. as a Cultural Heritage Landscape under the Ontario Heritage Act be received.
• That Council serve notice of intention to designate 107 Park St. N. as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under the Ontario Heritage Act consistent with Council's resolution dated October 14, 2025 and provide public notice of that intention; and
• That the City serve the owner of the property to be designated and the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Council referred the item to the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) after considering a report on the proposed demolition of buildings on the property at 107 Park St. N., which is known as the General Electric property, during its meeting on October 14, 2025.

Council had referred buildings identified as 2, 2A, 8a, 24A, 21, 26, 28 and 30 at 107 Park St. N. to be considered by PACAC for its recommendations for heritage designation.

At its meeting dated October 29, 2025, PACAC reviewed the Notice of Intention to Demolish submitted for 107 Park Street North along with a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and building removals plan prepared for and submitted by the owner in conjunction with their Notice of Intention to Demolish. Upon review, PACAC considered the property at 107 Park Street North worthy of heritage designation as it meets two or more criteria outlined in Regulation 9/06 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

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.

Council meetings are livestreamed at peterborough.ca/WatchCouncil. Agendas and recordings of meetings are posted at peterborough.ca/agendas.