For property owners and developers

As private or commercial property owners and developers, it is important to gather information and incorporate archaeological considerations into your planning processes since damaging an archaeological site without a permit is unlawful. 

Both property owners and developers can request archaeological site information and, if necessary, engage a professional archaeologist before developing on private or commercial property.

On this page

• Starting a project
• Requesting archaeological information about a property
• Hiring an archaeologist
• Getting a permit
• Managing archaeological impacts

Starting a project

Incorporating archaeological considerations into your project is sometimes built into the steps you may already be taking.

For instance, many local governments have information on the location of protected archaeological sites, so if you apply for a rezoning, demolition or building permit, and the issuing local government determines that your activities may disturb the archaeological site, they may notify you. They may also request that you hire a professional consulting archaeologist to review the situation and decide if further archaeological studies are necessary.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will also notify you of possible sites on your land if you apply to subdivide rural property. The ministry may also request that the property owner complete an impact assessment to find out exactly where the site is located and will place the site under a restrictive covenant.

In many cases, archaeological sites are not within development zones. For example, sites on waterfront properties are usually close to the water and are often contained within zoning setbacks that protect other overlapping values, such as environmental values.

This brochure is a good resource to keep on hand, or distribute to new property owners in your neighborhood: 

•  Property Owner Brochure (PDF, 530KB)

Requesting archaeological information about a property

Archaeological sites are fragile - the information contained in an archaeological site comes from the context in which artifacts are found, as much as from the artifacts themselves. Once this context is destroyed through construction or landscaping, this information is lost, even if the artifacts are still there.

To find out if there is a known site on or near the property, you can request archaeological information about the property before starting the project. For details, visit our Request archaeological information web page. 

Hiring an archaeologist

If you’re concerned proposed developments or renovations may impact an archaeological site, or you’ve been advised to hire a professional consulting archaeologist, the Archaeology Branch recommends the following steps.

1. Find an archaeologist in your area

Do an internet search for “archaeologists near me” or check local business directories.

The British Columbia Association of Professional Archaeologists also keeps a list of its current members. Note that membership in this association is voluntary, so their list may not reflect the full range of local options.

2. Confirm the archaeologist is in good standing

Ask whether the archaeologist is “eligible and qualified” to hold Heritage Conservation Act permits in your area.

3. Get one or more quotes

Ask the archaeologist for a cost estimate that includes project planning, fieldwork, analysis, and reporting. You may wish to get quotes from more than one archaeologist. If it’s a large project, ask the archaeologist to explain their assumptions (e.g., how many sites they expect to find). You should also consider when the archaeologist can schedule the work. Please note that HCA permit applications are currently taking 6 to 9 months to be reviewed and issued.

Getting a permit

If there is an archaeological site on your property, you must acquire a permit before you can renovate or develop it because damaging a site without a permit is unlawful. Uncontrolled disturbance of a site will result in the loss of information about events and activities that happened on your property hundreds or thousands of years ago, and potential legal consequences under the Heritage Conservation Act.

If there is a site on the property, you can engage a professional consulting archaeologist to complete an archaeological impact assessment study before renovating or developing or your property. This study will include field work, and is completed by a professional consulting archaeologist under the authority of the B.C. government. The archaeologist will work with you to develop options on how to manage impacts to the archaeological site. For more information, see our Archaeological Assessments & Studies page.

Heritage inspection and investigation permits are issued to professional archaeologists for the purpose of conducting archaeological impact assessments, and mitigating development impacts through the systematic recovery of archaeological data.

In addition, archaeologists may monitor development activities under site alteration permits, which are issued to property owners and development proponents. Most proponents have the application prepared by a qualified archaeologist on their behalf.

If the impact assessment results show that development without affecting the archaeological site is possible, you will not require a site alteration permit to proceed with development.

For more information, see our Archaeological Site Permits page.

Managing archaeological impacts

An archaeological impact assessment (AIA) study can determine if the archaeological site has significant heritage value, and if there are expected impacts to the site.

The professional consulting archaeologist who conducts the AIA will make recommendations that may include: 

• Changing the building site or footprint to reduce or avoid impacts to an archaeological site
• Changing the construction technique to reduce the degree of site impact, for example, substituting an above ground basement or building on pads and or pilings instead of in-ground foundation
• Completing additional archaeological excavations to recover information that will be impacted by development

If there is no significant value, there may be no objections to developing within the site, however you will still require a site alteration permit.

Will having a site on my property affect its property value?

There are two issues that may affect property values:

1. How an archaeological site affects the present use of your property, and
2. How an archaeological site affects the future use of your property

The present use of the property is seldom affected unless the use involves significant land alteration. A structure on a fully developed lot is not affected by overlapping with an archaeological site. An active gravel pit, for example, is a concern, because this current use may damage or destroy a site.

Future use and developments like altering a building footprint, major landscaping, or installation of in-ground infrastructure, may be a property value concern because of the damage the new activity may cause to the archaeological site. 

How can I report a possible Archaeological Find or Property Contravention?

Every year in B.C. archaeological artifacts and sites are discovered by people out hiking, digging in their garden, doing home renovations, developing property, or working on the land base.

If you believe you've witnessed an unlawful disturbance of a site, please follow our information on how to Report a Contravention.