Religious heritage restoration

Objective

Financial assistance aims to promote the protection, transmission and enhancement of religious heritage of historical, architectural or artistic interest.

Part 1 – Restoration of immoveable property (buildings)

The following are eligible for financial assistance: religious buildings that are open to the public, were built before 1945, and have recognized heritage value, either by virtue of a listing in the Inventaire des lieux de culte du Québec (ILCQ) or under Quebec’s Cultural Heritage Act.

Part 2 – Restoration of moveable property (furnishings),
works of art and organs

The following are eligible for financial assistance: moveable property preserved in religious buildings that are open to the public and have recognized heritage value, either by virtue of Quebec’s Cultural Heritage Act or by virtue of the criteria stated by experts in the field.

Eligible client groups

• Parish fabriques, dioceses, parish councils, religious communities and their equivalents in other religious traditions
• Municipalities (Part 1 only)
• Non-profit organizations (Part 1 only)
• Private owners (Part 1 only)

Calculation of financial assistance

Eligible work

All work deemed essential to the preservation of the heritage qualities of the building, furnishings, work of art or organ:

1. Categories of eligible work involve the building foundations, structures, roofs, exterior wall cladding, door and window openings, fire detection and extinguishing systems, protrusions, electrical components, and indoor work necessitated by degradation of the exterior building envelope.
   
   
2. Completion of preparatory studies prior to confirmation of financial assistance and professional fees for specialists (architects, engineers, historians, archaeologists and others) assigned to the project.

Eligible works list (in French only)

Application procedure

The application for financial assistance must include:

1. The Application form
2. The report on the condition of the building (Part 1) or expert report (Part 2)
3. Proof of insurance
4. Proof that a working fire detection system has been installed (Part 1 applications only)

Applications may be submitted at any time of year to the regional roundtable covering the applicant’s territory or to the Conseil du patrimoine religieux office.

Part 1 applications

For Part 1 applications, the regional roundtable studies all application files, establishes priorities and recommends projects to the Conseil.

Religions heritage buildings form (Part 1) (in French only)

Part 2 applications

For Part 2 applications, the furnishings and artworks committee or organ committee studies all application files, establishes priorities and recommends projects to the Conseil.

• Furnishings and works of art form (Part 2) (in French only)
  
• Eligibility criteria and application procedure – Restoration of objects and artworks
  
  
• Church organ form (Part 2) (in French only)
  
• Eligibility criteria and application procedure – Restoration of pipe organs

Selection of projects

Projects are selected using the following priority criteria:

1. Actions taken for buildings that are protected under the Cultural Heritage Act or that have been designated as having Undisputed (A), Exceptional (B) or Superior (C) heritage value according to the ILCQ.
2. Support for restoration projects consisting of major work (foundations, structure, roof, masonry, etc.), or installation or upgrading work to meet safety standards.
3. Assured financial participation by the applicant (see Calculation of financial assistance table).

Conditions for the awarding of subsidies

1. The building must be open to the public.
2. Restoration projects must be begun no later than 1 year following announcement of the subsidy by the Ministry and completed within 24 months of the start of work.
3. The Conseil will not consider projects for which disposal is planned following the end of the work, subject to the specific criteria below:

The above does not apply if the applicant requires the purchaser to enter into a contractual commitment to safeguard the heritage value of the immoveable or moveable property.

4. The applicant must pledge to comply with the conditions for the awarding of any contract for the completion of the work for which the financial assistance is granted.