Developer loses court battle to remove heritage status on WW1 battery in Quebec

By Joe Bongiorno, The Canadian Press on January 9, 2025.

MONTREAL – The Quebec Superior Court has ruled against a real estate development company that wanted the heritage status removed for First World War fortifications overlooking the St. Lawrence River east of Quebec City.

In a ruling on Monday, Justice Denis Jacques said the interest of the public in preserving the cultural heritage of Fort Beaumont outweighs the private interest of the company.

The battery – a fortification for heavy guns – was built in 1914 to protect Canadian troops as part of a coastal defence system for the global war that erupted in Europe.

In 2009 and 2012 Gestion Breton Martineau acquired the land on which the remains of the fort are located, with the goal of building homes.

In 2022 the company filed a $2.09-million lawsuit against the municipality of Beaumont and Quebec’s Culture Department to prevent them from trying to protect the site from development.

Despite the lawsuit, Quebec’s Culture Department granted the fort heritage status in 2023, which was maintained by Monday’s court decision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2025.

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