Slate Roof Tiles in Ontario

Natural slate roofing has long been valued in Ontario for its exceptional durability, weather resistance, and timeless aesthetic that complements the province’s diverse architectural styles. Natural slate’s ability to withstand heavy snow, freezing temperatures, high winds, and seasonal moisture makes it an ideal roofing material for Ontario’s challenging climate. Its dense, low-absorption structure ensures decades—often more than a century—of reliable performance with minimal maintenance. Across the province, from historic homes to modern custom builds, natural slate continues to be a preferred premium roofing choice. North Country Slate has proudly supplied hundreds of natural slate roofs throughout Ontario, providing homeowners, architects, and builders with high-quality, long-lasting materials that stand up to local weather conditions while adding enduring beauty to every project.

Home to our nation’s capital, Ottawa, Ontario is Canada’s second-largest province by area, housing the country’s most populous city, Toronto (home to the Toronto Maple Leafs & many of their diehard fans alike). The largest museum in Canada is in Ontario; the Royal Ontario Museum. Ontario has 3 main climates, sorted by region:

• Southern Ontario: Surrounded by the Great Lakes by which delay the onset of harsher winter conditions, fall & winter are generally milder temperatures than other areas of the province. Warm & hot summers are abundant from June to September.
• Central/Eastern Ontario: This area provides a moderate humid climate, with hot summers with cold, long winters with annual precipitation much like Southern Ontario
• Northeastern Ontario: The Hudson Bay brings cooler temperatures to summers, along with lake-effect snow squalls that affect the overall seasonal snowfall during the winters, with upwards of 10ft of snow in some areas of this region.
• Southwestern Ontario: With the most lightning strikes per year in Canada, this region averages 30+ thunderstorms annually. In areas such as Windsor, heavy rains and winds from the south are prominent.

Historical Use and Revival with North Country Slate

Slate has a long history in Ontario: many 19th- and early-20th-century buildings used slate roofs. Over time, some of those original roofs deteriorated or were replaced with cheaper materials, but in recent decades there has been a revival of interest — particularly among heritage-building owners.

Here is where North Country Slate plays a significant role:

North Country Slate is based in Uxbridge, Ontario and provides a wide palette of natural slate colours in various sizes and thicknesses, giving architects and homeowners flexibility to match original historic slate or design custom roofs. 

These are some historic building projects in Ontario that used North Country Slate:

• The Gooderham Building (Toronto’s iconic “Flatiron Building”): its mansard roof was re-roofed with North Country Slate’s “Unfading Black” slate. 
• Many of the row houses on Draper Street in downtown Toronto — 25 of the 28 homes on this 1880s Second Empire-style street received North Country Slate Unfading Black natural-slate roof shingles as part of heritage-preservation efforts
• The Royal Conservatory of Music (former 19th-century building) in Toronto — during a major renovation beginning in 2003, North Country Slate shingles (Semi-Weathering Gray/Black) were used to replace or restore the existing slate roof. 

• Other notable Ontario buildings that boast a North Country Slate roof:
  • Queens University
  • University of Toronto
  • The Broadview Hotel
  • St. Mary’s Church
  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
  • Ryerson Oakum House
  • Le Cordon Bleu

Upscale neighbourhoods, such as Forest Hill, Bridle Path, High Park, and Rosedale all possess spectacular estates that adorn North Country Black, Green, Gray, Purple, and Multi-Colored slates from quarries in Vermont and Quebec.

These are all examples that show natural slate continues to anchor heritage and architectural preservation efforts in Ontario. For homeowners in older neighbourhoods, slate roofing remains not merely functional, but integral to historical authenticity and aesthetic continuity.

Summary & Outlook for Natural Slate Roofing in Ontario

For homeowners, architects or preservationists in Ontario seeking long-lasting, historically appropriate, and weather-resilient roofing, natural slate remains one of the best choices. Its proven resistance to the full spectrum of Ontario’s weather — from heavy lake-effect snow to freeze-thaw cycles, rain, wind, hail, and summer heat — makes it ideal for a climate with wide seasonal swings. Properly installed and maintained, a slate roof can last well over a century, offering peace of mind and adding significant value to a property.

North Country Slate helps bridge the gap between past and future: supplying high-quality natural slate shingles that meet modern installation and building code standards, while preserving (or restoring) the character of Ontario’s historic architecture.

North Country Slate provides the highest-quality slate roof tiles available in North America, and we build our success on our customers’ satisfaction & the proven quality of the slate roofing projects we have supplied over the years.