History of la Fondation

What a relief it was when Monsignor Valéry Vienneau, appointed bishop in August 2012, told the diocese of his intention to protect "our" cathedral, a monument to the Acadians built in 1939.

It was with this in mind that the Fondation de la cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption de Moncton Inc. was created.

Since then, thanks to the perseverance of the late Mr. Gilbert Doucet, founding member and first president until 2016, the Foundation has undertaken a major fundraising campaign to carry out extensive renovations, culminating in the federal designation of the site as a National Historic Heritage Site.

In collaboration with a philanthropic fundraising council, The Foundation launches a five-year fundraising campaign, which officially concludes in 2019. The funds would be used exclusively for the restoration of the building.

Following an assessment of the cathedral's condition completed in 2009, an architectural firm and various engineering specialists prepare construction documents for contracts to be executed between 2016 and 2019.

In a unique partnership with Acadian associations, the Archdiocese of Moncton funds the renovation of the first floor of the cathedral to provide office space for Acadian organizations.

Several projects have been implemented between 2016 and 2024 thanks to the donations and pledges received from donors to the fundraising campaign of 2014, including:

• Foundation waterproofing
• New electrical supply for the building
• Addition of a washroom in the nave of the church
• Adaptation to the National Building Code of Canada for fire safety and accessibility
• Replacement of first floor windows
• Lower west flat and sloped roofs replaced
• Improvements to the heating system in the nave
• Improvements to the lighting system in the nave

Explore Completed Projects

The parallel project of the Archdiocese of Moncton completes its construction and the offices of the five organizations of the Acadian Partnership, as agreed in 2014, are inaugurated on January 1. Today, about fifty people work here.

Substantial renovation of the steps at the main entrance on St. George Street.

Explore Completed Projects

The Monument de la Reconnaissance au 21e siècle (MR21), a sensory and interactive museum and interpretation centre, opens on August 6 to promote and highlight the building's rich heritage. With this new tenant, financed separately from the Foundation, the cathedral gains a tourist attraction.

Visit MR21   Visit TripAdvisor

The federal designation was announced on August 15, during the Congrès mondial acadien.

Visit Parks Canada

The complete recladding of the sloped roof is one of the three major projects identified in 2009 that could not be completed due to lack of funds. The architectural firm, which has been involved in the project since its inception, has proposed three different types of covering for the pitched roof. The estimated cost of these options is still beyond The Foundation's resources. Therefore, it is necessary to continue with emergency repairs such as:

• Temporarily repair a few areas on sloped or flat roofs.
• Permanently repair the roof rain water drain in the stairway to the balcony.

Donate   Explore Upcoming Projects

An investigation of the exterior stone mortar confirms why the plaster on the tomb of Mgr. Norbert Robichaud is crumbling. The Archbishop, Mgr Guy Desrochers, appreciates that the Foundation followed up on this emergency repair in the fall. 

Donate   Explore Upcoming Projects

A revision of the board of directors’ by-laws is adopted.

A PowerPoint presentation is created to showcase the projects completed between 2016 and 2019, as well as the three most significant upcoming major projects.

Launch of the website!

Exterior masonry mortar repair from the grade level to an approximate height of 6 meters (20 feet).