The Dominion Building in downtown Halifax was built in 1936 and was used as a sorting station and offices for Canada Post. In early 1990’s it was retrofitted as general office space. Despite the fact that regular maintenance was completed on the building, it was determined that severe water leakage caused deterioration and displacement of several of the building’s masonry units. Damage to the structure included all stone and brick masonry, from the 8th floor and above, most of which had to be removed in order to access the steel structure. Engineers also found that the original steel columns were never encased in concrete and as a result, oxidized over time.

The contract to carry out the work was awarded to Masontech Inc, of Halifax, NS. At the time of the project, Masontech had over 20 years of experience in stone carving and heritage building restoration. The design team chosen by Public Works & Government Services Canada consisted of Duschenes & Fish/D.F.S. Inc. Architects of Montreal QC and CBCL Limited Consulting Engineers of Halifax NS. BMR Structural Engineering, also of Halifax was engaged by  Masontech to assist with the structural design.

Part of the restoration procedure included the removal, repair and replacement of all stones, some of which weighed over two tonnes (4,400 lb). The tight space, precluded the contractor from using cranes to maneuver the stones so complex pulley systems were installed to lift and transport them to street level. All masonry units were laid using KING 1-1-6 and to ensure that the mortar would meet the specified requirements for air-entrainment, KING’s quality control department tested each batch before shipment. There was also a significant amount of Wallace Sandstone that required re-pointing. This operation was undertaken using MasonCare 300. Miscellaneous concrete repairs were carried out using MS-S10 SCC and Duro-Crete.

The Dominion Building restoration project was completed by the end of February 2009, on time, and to the satisfaction of the engineers and owners. The project was also the recipient of the annual Nova Scotia Heritage Trust Award, recognizing exceptional achievement in built heritage preservation and conservation.