When is an archaeological assessment required?

When something new is built in Ontario that alters the landscape, an archaeological assessment may be required to find out if archaeological resources could be present. Whether it is housing, industries, community spaces, or more, we want to ensure resources are protected before the land is altered.

Archeological assessments are laid out in four stages, each building on the findings of the previous one. Not every project requires all four stages. The results of each stage determine whether further assessment is needed.

The four stages include:

• Stage 1 Background Study and Property Inspection: Review the property’s history, geography, and past land uses to determine whether archaeological resources may be present.
• Stage 2 Property Assessment: In-field survey of site conditions and identification of archeological material.
• Stage 3 Site-Specific Assessment: Examine a discovered archaeological site more closely to determine its size, age, significance and how development could affect it.
• Stage 4 Mitigation of Development Impacts: Develop a plan to protect the archaeological site from development over the long term. If the site cannot be preserved, archaeologists carefully excavate and document it and recover artifacts before construction begins.

Like a Stage 1 assessment, the Archaeological Management Plan will identify areas in the County where archaeological resources are more likely to be present based on background research and historical mapping. This information will help determine when a property may require further stages of assessment.