Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Pacific Railway station in Fredericton has fallen into a state of total disrepair.
I am calling on the federal government to amend the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act, which would close a major loophole.
The York Street site was designated in 1991 as a historic railway station under the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act. Unfortunately, the site has been neglected for years and its future is in question.
Under the act, a property owner cannot sell, demolish or renovate a site without the approval of the federal government, but it does not speak to inaction, neglect or abandonment.
Built in 1923, the CPR station in Fredericton was designated because of its historical and architectural qualities.
The federal government, through Parks Canada, must correct this flawed legislation and ensure that heritage sites are properly maintained and celebrated.