More than 50 letters of protest and the spectre of a costly — and likely unsuccessful — legal battle prompted Norfolk County council to back off an attempt to strip heritage protection from Simcoe’s historic post office.
Councillors recently voted to keep the 116-year-old neoclassical Georgian building in downtown Simcoe listed on the province’s registry of heritage buildings — much to the chagrin of the building’s owner, Harish Rajput.
Rajput claimed heritage protections that prevent the outside of the building from being altered — but put no such restriction on the interior — make it harder for him to find tenants and get insurance.
“For more than two years, we are burning cash on the building,” Rajput said, imploring councillors to “put emotion aside” and grant his request to dedesignate the yellow brick building, which county planner Andrew Wallace described as a “monumental structure” with numerous features of architectural significance.
Rajput admitted he knew the building was designated when he bought it but said he was “not aware it would bring these kinds of issues.”
Wallace noted Rajput offered no evidence to prove the heritage protection on the 8,200-square-foot commercial building is keeping potential purchasers away. Several councillors suggested the soft real-estate market in downtown Simcoe as a more likely reason no buyers jumped at Rajput’s asking price of nearly $900,000.
Councillors heard the post office meets multiple criteria for heritage designation in Ontario and does not clear the threshold for removal, which is usually only granted if the building has degraded beyond repair.
A vote to dedesignate could be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal, where Norfolk would have to find a heritage expert who could justify the decision.
“Which may be unlikely,” said Coun. Alan Duthie, noting the cost of the legal process would likely hit $30,000 based on past appeals.
“I fully appreciate the 53 objections that were received. That’s quite a lot,” said Duthie, who voted to maintain the heritage protection.
Dozens of residents and heritage advocates wrote in during the public comment period, with nearly all advocating for a building that has served as a post office, bank, customs office and, more recently, the office of architect Carlos Ventin, who specialized in adapting historic buildings for modern uses.
Half a dozen of Ventin’s former colleagues recently came to council chambers to argue the architectural merits of their former office, which was designated as a heritage building in 1981.
“It’s deeply troubling that some members of council would favour the interests of one individual’s profits over the legislative preservation of our community’s heritage and history,” said Paul Vehof, a senior architectural technologist with the Brantford-based Ventin Group.
‘No clear evidence’ to justify removing heritage protection
Rajput said he was rebuffed by the municipality when he went in search of tax breaks and other “financial help” to maintain the building.
“Why does the owner have to bear all the cost of repairing and maintaining a 100-year-old building?” he asked, inviting Ventin’s former colleagues and heritage-minded residents to “chip in.”
“If they have so much concern, I am happy to sell to them,” Rajput said. “They can buy it and do whatever they want to do with it.”
Coun. Chris Van Paassen said it was unfair for a property owner to be stuck paying to repair a heritage property when government grants meant for that purpose have dried up.
The public outcry, Van Paassen contended, was more about respect for Carlos Ventin’s work as a nationally renowned architect than the former post office itself.
“But his company sold it, so it obviously wasn’t important to them,” Van Paassen said, drawing shocked looks from the Ventin Group staff in the public gallery.
The debate attracted attention across the province after council first voted to dedesignate the former post office in March, with members of Architectural Conservancy Ontario and Ventin’s daughter, Carla, urging the municipality to keep the protection intact.
Coun. Tom Masschaele said that hubbub could have been avoided had councillors respected provincial heritage rules from the start and acknowledged there was “no clear evidence” to justify Rajput’s request for repeal.
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Jul 20, 2026 at 07:07
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