Archaeology

Not all the heritage of the Capital region is visible on the ground. Many artifacts of the past — for example, the tools of Aboriginal peoples, the decorated pottery of settlers, the iron relics of industry — have long since disappeared under the soil. It is the task of archaeologists to find, recover and interpret those remains. We play a key role in ensuring that the archaeological treasures of the Capital region are both protected during development and carefully preserved and communicated as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.

What We Do

1. As the organization with authority for federal land use and design approvals, we review changes and alterations to federal properties and consider, among other things, whether the proposed project has the potential to disturb or destroy archaeological sites.
2. We carry out environmental impact assessments, which include consideration of the impact of a development on historical and archaeological resources.
3. We have mapped all federal lands within the Capital region to identify areas with prehistoric archaeological resource potential so that, if and when these sites are developed, the protection of archaeological resources can be built into the development process.

Archaeological Exploration

Since the 1970s, we have participated in numerous archaeological excavations in the Capital region.