Historic Places Initiative

Overview

Three years ago, the Department of Canadian Heritage and Parks Canada began a wide-ranging series of consultations on the best means to preserve and celebrate Canada's historic places. There has been a tremendous sense of cooperation and good will from the provinces and territories, municipalities, an Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Members of Parliament, other elected officials, heritage experts and volunteers, archaeologists, planners, government departments, Agencies, Crown Corporations, and a cross-section of other thoughtful and committed Canadians.

This process has taken time because it is important to be fully inclusive, open to all good ideas and focussed on undertaking the most significant and long-term heritage conservation action ever in Canada. Out of the consultations has arisen a broad-based strategy - the Historic Places Initiative - which is the most important federal heritage conservation proposal in Canada's history.

There is consensus on where Canadians will be when the Historic Places Initiative is fully implemented:

• Canadians will have built a culture of heritage conservation
• Governments will work together to achieve common goals
• Canadians will have the basic tools to protect historic places
• The Government of Canada will become a model custodian of historic places

Discussion Documents

• Towards a New Act Protecting Canada's Historic Places
  
  
• Historic Places and Aboriginal People - A Discussion Document
  
  
• Standards and Guidelines
  
  
• Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund