Systems

The Archaeology Branch is responsible for sharing the archaeological data in the Provincial Heritage Register with eligible parties.

To do so, the branch administers the 3 systems described below, moderates their access, and provides news and updates about their upgrades, features, and service outages.

Last updated: November 28, 2022 

On this page:

What systems are available?

Read the summaries below and click a hyperlinked system name to learn:

  • What it is
  • Who is eligible to use it
  • What to do if you are not eligible but need information
  • What kind of data is available
  • If the data has any limitations
  • How you can apply for access
  • How to troubleshoot issues

1. Archaeology Permit Tracking System (APTS)

The Archaeology Permit Tracking System (APTS) is an online portal used by professional consulting archaeologists and Archaeology Branch employees to manage archaeological applications and permits throughout their lifecycle. It is not available to the general public. 

2. Provincial Archaeological Report Library (PARL)

The Provincial Archaeological Report Library (PARL) is an online library containing electronic copies of archaeological permit reports. Authorized users may include archaeological consultants, First Nations, accredited academic researchers, and federal or provincial government resource and land use planning agencies. It is not available to the general public. 

3. Remote Access to Archaeological Data (RAAD)

The Remote Access to Archaeological Data (RAAD) is an online GIS application that lets authorized users view and download spatial and tabular data about B.C.'s archaeological sites for the purposes of land use planning, development approval processes, or archaeological assessments and studies. Authorized users may include archaeological consultants, First Nations, accredited academic researchers, and federal, provincial or local government resource and land use planning agencies. It is not available to the general public. 

If you aren't eligible for any of the systems but need information, please see our Request archaeological information page.

How can I get systems access?

To obtain access to our systems or data, you will have to submit a signed form to the Archaeology Branch. 

The Request System Access page contains the latest form, and will help you apply for the access you need.

How can I troubleshoot systems logon or other issues I'm having?

If you are having trouble logging in or using the basic functions of a system you should have access to, please try the solutions provided in the troubleshooting sections on the APTS, RAAD or PARL pages before contacting the branch.

If you are seeing unexpected errors, check our Systems news page for information about what might be happening, and follow the instructions there if you think you should report it.

How can I find out if a system is down or if new features are coming out?

Our Systems news page is the go-to source for information about the current state of branch systems. We recommend subscribing to the page so that you're notified by email when any of our programs are updated or unavailable.

The Systems news page provides details releated to:

  • new feature releases
  • critical service outages
  • scheduled maintenance and upgrades
  • changes to other programs that might interact with ours
  • other relevant announcements