**Chinese Government Halts Ottawa's Heritage Protection Plan** The Chinese government is opposing a plan to grant heritage protection to a historic telephone building in Ottawa, leading the city to pause its efforts. The building, located at 251 Besserer St., is a two-story red brick structure designed in the Beaux-Arts style. Constructed in 1912, it was home to the second Bell telephone exchange in Ottawa. In May, the city council voted to designate the building under the Ontario Heritage Act. However, the Chinese government, which owns the property, raised objections. The city has found it challenging to address these concerns. On Wednesday, the council voted to withdraw its intention to designate the property. This decision came after city staff recommended taking more time to negotiate with Chinese officials. Lesley Collins, the city’s program manager for heritage planning, emphasized that the recommendation was not related to the building's cultural heritage value. "Staff still believe the property merits designation," she stated. "But the Heritage Act has very strict timelines that we can’t extend." Coun. Rawlson King, chair of the built heritage committee, noted that negotiations could not be completed before a 90-day deadline expires on Thursday. He mentioned that language barriers and the need to coordinate with Chinese officials and Global Affairs Canada have complicated the process. King assured that the committee could revisit the designation later. "This withdrawal is strategic, not an abandonment of heritage protection," he said. The building currently serves as an office for China's mission in Canada, although the embassy has not clarified its specific use. In its objection, China claims that the property has diplomatic status, which requires its consent for any changes. While city heritage staff acknowledge the building's diplomatic status, they do not fully accept China's arguments. A report indicated that over 65 diplomatic buildings have received heritage designation. Collins acknowledged that the property's status could complicate matters under international diplomatic conventions. "The Vienna Convention doesn’t prevent the city from designating the property under the Heritage Act, but it does potentially place some restrictions on how that designation could be enforced in the future," she explained. Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper opposed the withdrawal, expressing concern about a potential double standard for foreign governments. He pointed out that the city often designates properties despite objections from churches and private individuals. "We frequently get these notices of opposition from stakeholders whose properties are going to be designated," he said. "We wouldn't contemplate giving anyone that kind of additional time." Heritage Ottawa supports the protection of the building. Advocacy committee co-chair Linda Hoad stated that while they understand the challenges of designating a diplomatic property, they believe the staff are taking the right approach. "If they lift the intention to designate, they will continue to negotiate and hopefully resolve the issues that the People’s Republic of China has," she said. The Chinese Embassy did not provide comments regarding its position on the matter.