I'd like to share concerns…

I'd like to share concerns with the proposed amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act. My concerns are in line with those of the archaeology company I work for (ASI Heritage), who have written a letter to the Minister of MCM (among others).

Some key points from this letter:

Archaeology is not red tape.

In its current form Bill 5 will enable the destruction of Indigenous and Settler heritage.

Archaeological requirements are not red tape. Good archaeology does not have to cause delays and should be viewed as an asset to any project. When brought in early, archaeologists can employ sophisticated predictive modelling and screening techniques to help avoid and protect critical archaeological sites.

We live and build upon lands that have witnessed thousands of years of human occupation. The Indigenous people who lived here for at least 13,000 years before settler occupation, have left a non-renewable legacy for all Ontarians to learn from.

We need to learn from past lessons. Indigenous participation and community support are key to the future of Ontario. Ensuring archaeology has an important voice in a project – rather than remove it all together – is the only path forward.

We therefore ask the Province to reconsider its proposal to exempt provincial priority projects from archaeological requirements.