Pascal Poirier House

Location

Shediac, NB

Why it matters

Built in 1825, the Pascal Poirier House is the oldest surviving home in Shediac, New Brunswick. This traditional 19th-century, one-and-a-half-storey gabled home is a rare example of Acadian vernacular architecture and holds deep cultural significance as the birthplace and longtime residence of Pascal Poirier (1852–1933) — a respected Acadian leader, author, and the first Acadian appointed to the Canadian Senate, in 1885.

The house retains many of its original features, including hand-hewn structural elements, 19th-century glass windows, a classic centre hall plan, and distinctive neoclassical exterior details such as a verandah with a glassed-in entrance porch — all of which contribute to its exceptional heritage value. 

Why it's endangered

Despite its historical and architectural importance, the Pascal Poirier House has remained closed since the COVID-19 pandemic and is now showing serious signs of deterioration. Owned by the Town of Shediac, the house has been minimally heated to prevent damage, but vacancy and lack of regular maintenance have led to increasing deterioration.

In 2022, the Town announced the completion of a feasibility study to determine options for the rehabilitation of the historic house. Currently, no comprehensive restoration plan exists, and estimates suggest it will cost more than $500,000 to stabilize and preserve the structure — not including any additional investment needed for adaptive reuse. In 2025, members of the community formed a committee to study the potential of the house with the aim of making recommendations to the municipal council for how to move forward.

Heritage advocates warn that the site faces a challenge common to many historic places across the province: without consistent maintenance and investment, buildings fall into disrepair. These concerns echo those expressed by operators of historic sites across New Brunswick this summer, after a province-wide tourism ad encouraged visitors to explore the province’s historic places, even as an unprecedented number of funding cuts had forced some sites to close.

Without urgent intervention, one of the region’s most important Acadian heritage sites risks being lost to irreversible decay.