A review of the draft 2026…

A review of the draft 2026 Standards and Guidelines for Consultant Archaeologists highlights several deficiencies and practical gaps when applied to Municipal Class Environmental Assessments (Class EAs), particularly for long, linear corridor projects that frequently exceed 20 m in width. The draft standards remain largely rooted in a parcel‑based, development‑driven model and do not adequately account for the scale, continuity, and phasing typical of municipal infrastructure such as roads, transit lines, water and wastewater systems, or multi‑utility corridors. This results in unclear expectations for study area delineation, staging of archaeological assessments, and integration with the Class EA planning and consultation framework. The standards also provide limited direction on proportional assessment strategies, cumulative impacts across extended corridors, or the practical constraints of conducting full Stage 2 or Stage 3 investigations within active rights‑of‑way. As written, these gaps risk creating inefficiencies, inconsistent interpretations, and misalignment with how Class EA projects are planned, approved, and delivered in practice, placing unnecessary burden on both municipalities and consultant archaeologists without demonstrable heritage protection benefits.