Canadian Association for Conservation

Canadian Association for Conservation
Name	Canadian Association for Conservation
Formation	1970s
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Location	Canada
Membership	Conservators, scientists, technicians
Leader title	President

Canadian Association for Conservation The Canadian Association for Conservation is a national professional organization that represents conservators, conservation scientists, technicians, and allied professionals working with cultural heritage across Canada. It connects practitioners in museum conservation, archives, libraries, historic sites, and private practice, fostering links with institutions such as the Canadian Museum of History, Royal Ontario Museum, Library and Archives Canada, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and National Gallery of Canada.

History

The organization emerged during the postwar expansion of heritage institutions influenced by developments at Canadian Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and ICOMOS in the 1970s and 1980s. Early leadership included professionals who trained at University of Toronto, Queen's University, McGill University, Courtauld Institute of Art, and University College London, and who collaborated with agencies like Parks Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust, Heritage Canada Foundation, and provincial museums such as the Glenbow Museum and Musée de la civilisation. The association's formation paralleled initiatives like the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and international standards efforts by ICOM-CC and UNESCO conventions.

Organization and Structure

The association is governed by a board of directors elected by regional and specialty groups mirroring structures found in Canadian Institutes of Health Research and professional bodies like the Royal Society of Canada. It operates regional chapters in provinces such as Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia and liaises with organizations including Association of Science and Technology Centers, Canadian Museums Association, Canadian Heritage, and university departments at University of Victoria and McMaster University. Committees address conservation specialties paralleling committees in ICOM, International Centre for the Study of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, and national advisory bodies like Standards Council of Canada.

Membership and Accreditation

Membership categories reflect models used by Canadian Medical Association and Engineers Canada, offering professional, associate, student, and corporate levels; members often hold credentials from institutions like West Dean College, Columbia University, Northeast Document Conservation Center, and provincial regulatory bodies. The association collaborates with accreditation frameworks similar to American Institute for Conservation accreditation programs and works with provincial arts councils such as Ontario Arts Council and national funding bodies like Canada Council for the Arts to support continuing professional development, internships, and apprenticeships linked to museum training programs at Concordia University and University of Alberta.

Activities and Programs

Programs include conservation treatment clinics, disaster response training, technical surveys, and preventive conservation initiatives partnering with Canadian Red Cross, Parks Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police heritage crime units, and municipal archives like City of Toronto Archives. The association runs mentorship schemes inspired by Getty Conservation Institute fellowships, offers grants modeled on Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funding, and participates in cross-border collaborations with National Park Service, Library of Congress, and provincial heritage networks. Outreach involves workshops at venues such as Canadian War Museum, Citadel of Quebec, and community heritage sites supported by Federation of Canadian Municipalities programs.

Publications and Conferences

The association produces technical bulletins, guidelines, and newsletters comparable to publications from Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, Studies in Conservation, Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, and scholarly series from Routledge and Taylor & Francis. It organizes annual conferences drawing delegates from institutions like Metropolitan Museum of Art, V&A, Canadian Museum of Nature, Royal Saskatchewan Museum, and international bodies including ICOMOS, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property. Proceedings and posters showcase work in areas related to collections stewardship at The Banff Centre, McCord Museum, and university research labs at University of Western Ontario.

Standards and Ethics

The association endorses codes of ethics and treatment standards informed by documents from ICOM-CC, American Institute for Conservation, Canadian Heritage Information Network, and legal frameworks such as the Canadian Copyright Act and provincial heritage statutes. It advises on provenance research in line with guidelines from International Council on Archives, restitution principles discussed at United Nations forums, and conservation policies enacted by bodies like Parks Canada Agency. Committees develop technical standards for materials and methods referencing ISO standards administered by Standards Council of Canada and international norms from International Organization for Standardization.

Awards and Recognition

Awards recognize excellence in conservation practice, research, education, and public engagement analogous to honors from Canadian Museums Association, Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts, Order of Canada recipients in heritage sectors, and discipline-specific prizes like those given by American Institute for Conservation. Recipients have included professionals affiliated with National Gallery of Canada, McGill University, University of Toronto Mississauga, Royal Ontario Museum, and regional museums such as Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 and Manitoba Museum.

Category:Conservation organizations