I am an archaeologist who…

I am an archaeologist who has been working for nearly 15 years in Ontario. I am fully in support of improving Ontario’s archaeological approvals system and modernizing the 2011 S&Gs to build greater quality assurance and reputational confidence in our industry. I work primarily for Stage 1 and Stage 2 archaeological assessments supporting engineering and environmental projects of municipal, provincial, and national importance. This includes many provincial entities - such as HONI, Infrastructure Ontario, MTO, and Ontario Parks and Metrolinx - and projects that support the construction and operations of infrastructure and provincial assets across Ontario from Kenora to Ottawa to the James Bay Lowlands to Lake Erie.

Given the volume of infrastructure projects, and their significance for the growth and maintenance of this province, it is surprising how little they have been considered in the HFT. The draft 2026 S&G do not reflect how infrastructure projects are planned, designed, or approved in practice.

It is not surprising that the ongoing corruption and favoritism that characterizes the Doug Ford government and their affiliations with private developer priorities could be influencing decisions in the HFT.

It is surprising that the proposed changes intended to cut red tape and streamline the archaeological process will not result in the intended outcome for many of these projects: for instance, removing the property inspection from Stage 1 removes the efficiency and confidence of confirming existing field conditions in order to make the best recommendations for further work or to confirm archaeological potential has been removed by disturbance. It is very surprising that any licensed archaeologists involved in the HFT would have advocated for this, since it is completely opposite of what the current S&Gs require.

If not reconsidered, the proposed 2026 S&Gs will complicate the matter of completing efficient and expert Stage 1 and 2 archaeological assessments for which archaeologists are hired for infrastructure and government related projects.