Property Owners and Developers
- Frequently
Asked Questions
- Why should I be concerned
about archaeological sites on my property?
In many cases archaeological sites are our
only link to our past. They provide us with a
wealth of knowledge about our heritage, a
fragile link to our origins and the nature of
our early history in British Columbia. If we
fail to preserve them, we risk losing their
cultural and historic value forever. Therefore
the Province controls damaging activities within
these site by protecting them by law and
requiring a permit to develop within site
boundaries. Damaging a site without a permit is
unlawful.
- What services does the
Archaeology Branch offer?
You can make a data request to the
Archaeology Branch to review the Provincial
records and determine if a recorded
archaeological site is on your property or if a
protected, but unrecorded site is likely on your
property.
If archaeological studies are required, the
branch will work with you to avoid or minimize
site damage during property improvements.
- Are there any costs
involved?
The property owner is responsible for the
costs of required archaeological studies.
However, by taking early action, you can
minimize the costs to manage impact to the
archaeological sites.
- What are the studies
required to develop on my property?
If you are going to develop on a property
with an archaeological site, you will need to
commission a study to determine what effect the
development will have on the site. This study is
called an
archaeological impact assessment.
If the study determines that the site has
significant value and damage to these values
cannot be avoided, threatened archaeological
information will be recorded through
systematic data recovery.
- What permitting do I require
to development my property?
After completing the appropriate studies (see
the previous question, What are the
studies required to development my property?)
you will require a Site
Alteration Permit. These permits are
issued by the Archaeology Branch. There is no
charge for this permit. If you are developing
your property but will not affect the
archaeological site, you will not need a permit
to develop.
- Will a site on my property
affect property value?
There are two issues that may affect property
values: how does an archaeological site affect
the present use of my property and how will the
site affect the future use of my property?
The current use of the property is seldom
affected unless the use involves significant
land alteration. A house on a fully developed
lot is not affected by overlapping with an
archaeological site. An active gravel pit is a
concern, because this current use will damage or
destroy a site.
New development, such as changing the
building footprint, major landscaping, or
installation of an in ground swimming pool, will
be a concern, because the new activity may
damage the archaeological site. When planning
for land use change, ensure that a professional
consulting archaeologist is part of the planning
process. They can determine if the new
development will have an affect on the
archaeological site.
In many cases, the archaeological site is not
within the development zone. As an example,
sites on waterfront properties are usually close
to the water and are often contained within
zoning setbacks set up to protect other
environmental values.
The most elemental piece of information a
property owner should have is the site record
for the archaeological site on their property.
This information is available through the
Archaeology Branch.
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