Information sharing terms and conditions

The following terms and conditions must be accepted in order to obtain archaeological information in British Columbia, and you will be asked to accept them when you submit a BC Archaeological Information Request Form.

1. In order to protect and conserve archaeological resources, the Archaeology Branch reserves the right to withhold information in accordance with provisions of the Heritage Conservation Act, 1996.
    
2. The intent of the Third Party Access section of the BC Archaeological Information Request Form is to safeguard access to archaeological information and site locations, but not to withhold it from those who have a need to know and who have an interest in a site or sites such as: First Nations, professional archaeologists, landowners, planners, realtors, lawyers, and local, provincial, and federal government agencies.
    
3. Copyright in all paper and digital information belongs exclusively to the Province of British Columbia. Information provided to end users must not be copied or re-distributed without the permission of the Archaeological Branch. Information may be copied for internal use.
    
4. A user may present information to a third party or parties who have a need to know if these parties have been identified on the BC Archaeological Information Request Form.
    
5. Archaeological information received from the Province may not be used as part of any merchantable product(s).
    
6. Archaeological site location accuracy is dependent on the recording scale, level of investigation, and mapping standards at the time of the recording. Contact the Archaeology Branch (250-953-3334) for information about data accuracy, content, structure, or standards.
    
7. The information provided only represents that which has been formally recorded and submitted to this office. It is possible that unknown and unrecorded sites exist within your area of interest. All archaeological sites, whether known or unknown, are protected under the Heritage Conservation Act.
    
8. This information does not by itself satisfy the information requirements of an archaeological overview or assessment as outlined in the B.C. Archaeological Impact Assessment Guidelines (PDF 415 KB). Contact the Archaeology Branch (250-953-3348) for further information or refer to the guidelines on our web page.
    
9. The personal information you provide is collected under the authority of the Heritage Conservation Act and is used to consider your application for access to archaeological site information, to maintain contact with you regarding your application, and to support related processes. If you have any questions about the collection or use of your personal information, please contact the Archaeology Branch (250-953-3334).
    
10. The Province makes no warranties or representations regarding the accuracy, timeliness, completeness or fitness for use of any or all data, data products or services provided by the Archaeology Branch (250-953-3334). The user is encouraged to advise us of any inconsistencies or errors in the information.