Do I need heritage approval to change stucco colour on a home in New Edinburgh?

Yes — if your property is within the New Edinburgh Heritage Conservation District, you will almost certainly need heritage approval before changing your stucco colour. New Edinburgh has been a designated HCD under the Ontario Heritage Act since 2001, and its heritage plan includes specific guidelines about exterior alterations.

Heritage Approval Process for Colour Changes

The New Edinburgh HCD Plan governs changes to the exterior appearance of properties within the district. A stucco colour change is considered an alteration to a heritage attribute — specifically, the visual character of the streetscape — and requires a Heritage Permit from the City of Ottawa.

What specifically triggers the requirement:

• Changing your stucco from one colour to a noticeably different colour- Going from a painted stucco finish to an unpainted/natural finish (or vice versa)- Any colour change on the front facade or any elevation visible from a public street

What does NOT require approval:

• Repainting your stucco in the same colour (like-for-like maintenance)- Colour changes on portions of the home not visible from any public right-of-way (rare in New Edinburgh given the neighbourhood layout, but possible for some interior courtyard walls)

The approval process works like this:

• Submit a Heritage Permit Application to the City of Ottawa's Heritage Planning team. Include current photos, the proposed new colour (paint chips or stucco samples), and a brief explanation of why you're making the change.- Staff review: For a colour-only change (no texture or material alteration), this is usually handled as a minor alteration and can be approved by heritage planning staff without going to the Built Heritage Committee. Processing time: 2 to 4 weeks.- If staff refer it to committee: The Built Heritage Committee meets monthly. Add another 4 to 6 weeks. This is more likely if the proposed colour is significantly different from the existing one or from the neighbourhood character.- No application fee.

What colours get approved easily in New Edinburgh: The district's character is defined by its mix of Victorian-era homes and early 20th-century architecture. Colours that are consistent with this heritage character — warm whites, creams, heritage greys, muted earth tones, sage greens, and traditional accent colours — are almost always approved without issue. Bold, contemporary colours (bright orange, electric blue, neon anything) will face scrutiny and may be refused.

Practical tip: Before submitting the formal application, call the Heritage Planning team at 613-580-2424 ext. 21555 and describe what you're planning. They'll give you informal feedback on whether your proposed colour is likely to be approved, saving you time if adjustments are needed. Many Ottawa homeowners skip this step and end up revising their application, adding weeks to the timeline.

Also worth noting: even if your stucco work itself doesn't need a building permit, the heritage approval is a separate legal requirement. Proceeding without it can result in the City ordering you to restore the original colour at your own expense — an outcome no one wants.

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