Historic Sites and Monuments Board

Historic Sites and Monuments Board
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Name	Historic Sites and Monuments Board
Formation	1919
Type	Advisory body
Headquarters	Ottawa
Region served	Canada
Parent organization	Parks Canada

Historic Sites and Monuments Board is an advisory body established to identify, evaluate, and recommend designation of National Historic Site of Canadas, National Historic Persons, and National Historic Events within Canada. The board interacts with federal entities such as Parks Canada, provincial bodies like the Ontario Heritage Trust, municipal authorities such as the City of Toronto, and non‑governmental organizations including the Historic Sites Association of Canada and the Canadian Museums Association. Its recommendations inform designations under statutes including the Historic Sites and Monuments Act and affect commemorative practices involving sites such as Fort York and persons like John A. Macdonald.

History

The board originated in the post‑First World War era amid heritage initiatives that followed examples set by the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty in the United Kingdom and the United States National Park Service. Early work focused on sites linked to Confederation events such as Charlottetown Conference and battles like the Battle of Vimy Ridge, as well as figures including Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Laura Secord. Over decades the board’s remit expanded through interactions with commissions such as the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences and reports influenced by scholars from institutions like the University of Toronto and the Canadian Historical Association. Changes followed major legal and policy developments involving the Parks Canada Agency Act and responses to Indigenous advocacy from groups such as the Assembly of First Nations and the Métis National Council.

Mandate and Functions

The board advises ministers on designations tied to the Historic Sites and Monuments Act and recommends commemorative plaques used at locations like L'Anse aux Meadows and Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. It conducts evaluations referencing historiography by authors linked to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography and draws on archival holdings from institutions such as Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian War Museum, and the Canadian Museum of History. The board consults with stakeholders including provincial agencies like the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, indigenous organizations including the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and heritage NGOs such as Heritage Toronto to assess significance relative to events like the Northwest Rebellion and treaties such as the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

Organizational Structure

Composed of appointed experts from fields represented by the Canadian Historical Association, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, and the Canadian Archaeological Association, the board coordinates with the Department of Canadian Heritage and advisory committees patterned after models from the ICOMOS networks. Membership has included scholars from the University of British Columbia, curators from the Royal Ontario Museum, and legal advisors conversant with acts like the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Secretariat functions are provided by staff drawn from Parks Canada regional offices in provinces such as Quebec and British Columbia, and the board liaises with municipal bodies such as City of Vancouver for site management matters.

Notable Designations and Programs

The board’s recommendations have led to designations at Fortress of Louisbourg, Rideau Canal, Bannockburn, Halifax Citadel, and Kensington Market (Toronto), and commemorations of figures including Terry Fox, Emily Carr, and Louis Riel. Programs developed under board guidance include thematic studies on subjects like Women’s suffrage in Canada, Transcontinental Railway construction, and Fur trade in Canada, produced in collaboration with partners such as the Canadian Encyclopedia, the Canadian Conservation Institute, and university research units at the University of Ottawa and McGill University. The board also influences plaque text used at sites such as Fort Langley and Grosse Île.

Conservation and Preservation Practices

Conservation guidance reflects standards promoted by ICOMOS charters and technical expertise from the Canadian Conservation Institute and provincial bodies like the BC Heritage Branch. The board’s work interfaces with conservation projects at properties managed by agencies such as Parks Canada and organizations including the National Trust for Canada, and employs methodologies similar to those used at Lunenburg and Old Quebec World Heritage properties. Preservation planning often draws on case law from courts including the Supreme Court of Canada when heritage protection intersects with development projects overseen by entities like Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and major infrastructure initiatives such as Highway 401 expansions.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics have pointed to perceived biases favoring colonial narratives evident in early designations referencing John Cabot voyages, the Royal Navy, and settler institutions like the Hudson's Bay Company, prompting calls for redress informed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and legal decisions stemming from Delgamuukw v British Columbia. Debates have arisen over plaque wording at sites connected to figures like John A. Macdonald and events such as the Klondike Gold Rush, and over inclusion of contested memorials such as statues related to Samuel de Champlain. Scholars from the University of Winnipeg and advocates from organizations like Idle No More have challenged procedures, while journalists at outlets including the Globe and Mail and the National Post have scrutinized transparency and representativeness.

International Collaboration and Legal Framework

The board engages with international frameworks including the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and professional networks such as ICOMOS and the International Council on Monuments and Sites. Legal interactions involve treaties and instruments like the Treaty of Paris (1763) in historical interpretation, and coordination with foreign agencies such as the National Park Service (United States) and Historic England. Collaborative projects have addressed transboundary themes involving sites tied to the Atlantic World, migration linked to Ellis Island, and wartime commemorations associated with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and memorials at Vimy Ridge.

Category:Heritage organizations in Canada