Igloo church among worst heritage losses in 2006

St. Jude’s Cathedral in Iqaluit, which was damaged by arson in November 2005 and demolished in June 2006, has been included in Heritage Canada Foundation’s list of Worst Losses of 2006.

The foundation released Canada’s Endangered Places Report Card, which included the top 10 most endangered places and worst losses list for 2006, on Feb. 19, Heritage Day.

In a related development, the diocese of the Arctic’s executive committee has decided that all its parish buildings and contents must be insured “for full replacement value,” after learning from its experience with St. Jude’s.

The cathedral was insured, but high construction costs in the North meant that the policy could only cover about 20 per cent of the rebuilding effort, estimated at $7 million.