Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I am a local historian in Wawa, Avocational Archaeologist, and certified member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals.

While many of the proposed changes have the potential to affect archaeology, the primary concern for heritage groups is section 4.6 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, namely 4.6-1,2,3 which state,

“1. Protected heritage property, which may contain built heritage resources or cultural heritage landscapes, shall be conserved.

2. Planning authorities shall not permit development and site alteration on lands containing archaeological resources or areas of archaeological potential unless the archaeological resources have been conserved.

3. Planning authorities shall not permit development and site alteration on adjacent lands to protected heritage property unless the heritage attributes of the protected heritage property will be conserved.”

My major objection is that the language above seems to only explicitly safeguard from development of the heritage properties and archaeological resources that have already been identified, while potentially leaving previously unidentified heritage resources unprotected.

I am also concerned that descendant communities across the province should have had greater consultation regarding the proposed changes to the Provincial Policy Statement.