Heritage means many things to many Canadians: our geography and built environment; our personal and collective traditions; and the physical and intangible evidence of our history. Our historic places, heritage institutions and organizations enable us to discover our diverse heritage and help us know who we are and what brings us together.

Heritage policies and programs, including the Canadian Heritage Information Network, the Virtual Museum of Canada and the Canadian Conservation Institute, promote awareness, appreciation and protection of Canada's rich and multifaceted heritage. Through our programs, policy development and research initiatives, we support a dynamic and creative community.

Success Stories

The Department of Canadian Heritage is proud to have participated in many successes:

• Billy Bishop's War Medals saved by the National Aviation Museum
• Tom Thomson painting repatriated
• HMCS Titanic furniture
• ROM acquires rare mineral specimen
• Art Gallery of Ontario acquires Boucher drawing
• Bill Reid collection stays in Canada
• ROM has only Frank Lloyd Wright furniture in a Canadian museum
• CMC scores with the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard collection
• Canada Returns Seized Heritage Artifacts to Peru, Mexico and Colombia
• National Archives of Canada Acquires Rare Collection of Canadiana
• Celebrate the 400th anniversary of French settlement in Canada
• The Jade Suit of Princess Douwan

Heritage Programs

A number of programs exist which help Canadians, and Canadian heritage institutions, preserve the rich legacy of human, natural, artistic and scientific heritage and which provide Canadians with access to the stories, people and places that connect us. Please also see Programs and Services For Heritage Organization in Canada.

Policy Development

Policy development in the heritage sector strengthens Canada's capacity to build community. We have developed policies which protect our natural, built and cultural heritage. The scope of our policy perspective continues to evolve to include emerging areas of interest such as intangible heritage, digital heritage, and cultural landscapes in both the domestic and international spheres.

Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board

The Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board is an administrative tribunal at arms length to the Department of Canadian Heritage, which reports directly to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. It was first established in 1977 to share with the Minister of Canadian Heritage the responsibility for administering the Cultural Property Export and Import Act (CPEIA). The purpose of this Act is to ensure the preservation in Canada of important examples of the Canadian heritage in movable cultural property and to encourage philanthropy through tax benefits for donations, and to uphold Canada's treaty obligations under the 1970 UNESCO Convention on illicit traffic in cultural property.