ARCHAEOLOGY MATTERS!

Canadian archaeology and the Canadian heritage sector are facing generational challenges to the regulation, protections, and funding for the work we all do. Both federal and provincial/territorial (e.g., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia) levels of government have passed legislation or budgets that seek to streamline development, deregulate environmental—and with that, potentially archaeological—protections, slashed budgets for heritage programming, and tabled plans to remove crucial publicly available heritage data from the internet. Alongside these government cuts is the persistent erosion of funding for post-secondary institutions, affecting the foundations for education and research in archaeology. Cuts to heritage and post-secondary education are not occurring in isolation as governments across the political spectrum have embraced fiscal restraint as fiduciary policy. These shifts in philosophy and funding are symptomatic of broader pressures on Canada and its economy in the wake of the dramatic realignment of our global economic relationships, and, in particular, a critical shift in the relationship between Canada and the United States. The result more broadly has meant a philosophical shift away from funding the institutions and organizations that promote, protect, and present Canadian identities through the arts, culture, and heritage.

The Canadian Archaeological Association – Association canadienne d’archéologie (CAA-ACA) is hearing about concerns and the on-the-ground impacts of these shifts from our members across the country and in our work with partners throughout the heritage industry. We are taking actions. In fall 2025, the CAA-ACA joined the National Trust for Canada conference themed Heritage Now and supported and signed the Halifax Declaration. The CAA-ACA is also actively working with the National Trust on initiatives to save the National Register of Historic Places and has supported our partners in the Canadian Cultural Resources Association as they lobby government to reverse legislative changes. In 2025, we distributed a letter of support to our sister organizations in the United States as they experienced unprecedented cuts to archaeological work at all levels. In addition, the CAA-ACA signed two letters supporting the work of the Unmarked Graves Working Group communications to government addressing decreased funding. Letters expressing concerns and the position of the CAA-ACA are important; however, as changes continue, we plan to do more.

Today, we are reaching out to our CAA-ACA members to understand how this shift has affected your work, research, engagements, and collaborations. Fundamentally, we all understand heritage as intrinsic to much of what we do. We understand the value of archaeology and the reasons it is protected as well as the importance of archaeology for understanding the past, informing the future, protecting and interpreting the many shared histories of Canada, and for descendent communities, in particular Indigenous communities, as records of their histories are increasingly relied upon in legal settings related to rights and title. Despite this, archaeologists have struggled to communicate the relevancy of the work that we do and are now faced with uncertainty in the wake of pervasive cuts. 

With that, the CAA-ACA wants to begin conversations with our membership and archaeologists across the country, and in partnership with archaeological sector organizations to find ways to organize and counter this shift away from heritage. By speaking directly to members and partner organizations, we want to generate ideas and strategies for better promoting and presenting the importance of archaeology and to leverage existing networks to ensure capacity. Ultimately, to see reinvestment in heritage and archaeological programming, and to slow or stall regulatory changes that could eliminate the need for archaeological practice, we believe that consistent messaging across the country can be effective. To do so, we are proposing to begin these discussions around three pillars of archaeology: The Stories We Tell, The Economic and Social Value of Archaeology and Heritage, and Our Responsibility to Canadian Communities. 

The Stories We Tell. What we do in archaeology is fundamentally storytelling. Perhaps most importantly, we tell unwritten stories and serve as advocates and interpreters of the stories of past peoples that may not be known. We uncover, interpret, and describe places that may or may not be remembered by descendent communities. Through our work we also discover those places that are forgotten or unknown and ensure their protection. Cuts to archaeology and heritage programming mean we are losing the ability to tell stories and tell the stories of others. Erosion of heritage protections threatens the substance of the stories themselves.

The Economic and Social Value of Archaeology and Heritage. Many of the changes we are seeing to funding, legislation, and programming are motivated by a desire to streamline development or reduce costs; however, it is just as likely that this desire to move faster will create greater conflict and result in slower productivity. Archaeological and heritage work is an economic engine. Thousands of people are employed in Canada conducting archaeological research or impact assessments, in government departments, working with and for Indigenous communities and more widely in the private sector. Archaeologists and past students of archaeology also work in museums or historical societies, places that play a crucial role in attracting, among other things, tourism to rural communities. 

Responsibility to Communities. Archaeologists work with and for communities of various configurations. We have ethical responsibilities outlined in the CAA-ACA principles, and among those responsibilities are to the public, to Indigenous communities, and to each other. By reaffirming these commitments, we can build stronger networks. Through the work, we can build stronger communities and continue to repair generational cultural and social problems. 
We envision each of these pillars as places to begin conversations among each other, as well as with the public, communities, and politicians. We invite feedback on the pillars, but also the work that archaeologists across the country are doing within each of these fields. This initiative begins with this statement; however, we want to expand the conversation through our Annual Meeting in Canmore in May, and beyond.

On behalf of the CAA-ACA Board and Advocacy Committee,

Katie Cottreau-Robins, PhD
President