Port Perry · Township of Scugog
Port Perry and Scugog: heritage storefronts and older homes
Port Perry's Victorian downtown sits in a heritage conservation district, and Scugog has some of the oldest housing in Durham, more than half of it built before the 1980s. That makes repair the first thing to price: reglazed sashes, working storms, screens mended in their frames. We connect you with an independent local glass pro. Port Perry is a longer drive from Oshawa, so we check by postal code that one covers your address first.
At a glance
- Municipality
- Township of Scugog
- Downtown
- Downtown Port Perry Heritage Conservation District
- Housing
- Among Durham's oldest
- Coverage
- Checked by postal code
A Victorian downtown in a heritage district
Port Perry is old by Durham standards; its 1873 grain elevator is billed as Canada's oldest. The Township protects the downtown through the Downtown Port Perry Heritage Conservation District, set up under By-law 91-10, which classes buildings as contributing or non-contributing to its character. Ask the Township which yours is, and what that means for window and storefront changes, before planning work.
Storefront glass and the Scugog HCD grant
For a downtown shopkeeper, a cracked display window is a repair first: cover it, then replace the glass to match. Changing frames, the door or the layout is a conversation for the Township before the pro. Our storefront glass page covers the repair side.
The Township's heritage district grant matches owners' spending on façade restoration, up to a per-property limit. Its page referred to 2025 intake when we checked, so confirm it's open for 2026. If you apply, ask the pro for a detailed written quote.
Older homes: wood windows, storms and reglazing
In an older Scugog house, the window is rarely the whole problem. One part of it usually is:
- Putty and panes: dried putty and cracked panes fixed sash by sash; see broken window glass.
- Storm windows: a cracked pane or jammed track mended, keeping weather off the sash behind.
- Sashes: painted shut, rattling or sagging, with broken cords; see window repair.
- Later replacement windows: a fogged sealed unit swapped into the existing frame.
Where a sill has rotted through, replacement goes on the quote next to the repair. Our repair or replace guide shows how a pro decides.
Screens and seasonal upkeep
Spring is when storms come off, screens go back in, and you find out what winter did. Look for putty pulling away from the glass and cracked caulking around the frame; they're small fixes early and bigger ones later. Torn screens are rescreened in their frames, and old wood screen frames can often be repaired. Put every window on one request so the pro sees it all in one trip, which matters more this far from Oshawa.
Permits and heritage approvals: Township of Scugog
The Township of Scugog, not Oshawa or Durham Region, issues building permits and heritage approvals in Port Perry. We haven't confirmed its rule on same-size window swaps, so ask the Township before changing a window, and always before changing a storefront or a building downtown. Say on your request if the building is in the district, so the pro we match you with can quote with that in mind.
Port Perry questions
Does the Port Perry heritage district affect storefront windows?
It can. Changes to buildings in the downtown district go through the Township of Scugog. Replacing a broken pane to match is the simplest case; changing frames, doors or the storefront layout is where the Township comes in first. Ask whether your building is contributing or non-contributing. See storefront glass repair for the repair side.
Is the Scugog heritage grant still taking applications in 2026?
We can't confirm it. When we checked, the Township's grant page described its 2025 intake. The grant is for façade restoration in the downtown district, and windows and storefronts are part of a façade, so ask whether your project fits. Contact the Township before the work starts, and bring a detailed written quote.
Is it worth restoring old wood windows in Port Perry?
Often. Wood windows in older Scugog houses usually fail in parts: putty, cords, weatherstripping, a cracked pane. Fixing those keeps the original window working, and with a storm over it a restored sash can be weather-tight. Rot through a sill or joint is where replacement comes in. Ask for both prices on one quote.
Do Oshawa's permit rules apply to a window job in Port Perry?
No. Port Perry is in the Township of Scugog, and each municipality in Durham runs its own building permits. Ask the building department before changing a window's size or a storefront, and heritage staff if the building is downtown. The pro can tell you what they've seen before, but the Township's answer is the one that counts.