Private Landowner Q&A
About Archaeological Research
in Haldimand and Norfolk County
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Q. If an archaeological site is found on my land will my land value be affected?
No, land values are not affected by the presence of archaeological sites. Thousands of sites exist on farmland across Ontario, but most will never be investigated. Archaeological assessments are required prior to land development to identify the locations of sites, but need not be investigated further as long as the farmland continues to be used for agricultural purposes.
Q. If an archaeological site is found on my land does this mean it has to be excavated?
No, archaeological sites are excavated for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons can be to avoid the destruction of an archaeological site by development, looting, cultivation, natural causes (i.e. erosion), and because of scientific interests Even then it must be determined if the site should be excavated to avoid a permanent loss of information and what can be preserved. It is preferred that a site is left intact and undisturbed as long as possible.
Q. Are archaeological sites indicators of a burial ground?
No, the vast majority of sites are seasonal campsites. The discovery of human remains is an extremely rare occurrence usually associated with more recent sites, since bone is rarely preserved beyond 2000 years.
Q. If an archaeological site is found on my property, am I responsible for having it excavated by a team of archaeologists?
No. While the Ontario Planning Act and Environmental Assessment Act require that land developers mitigate any impact to archaeological sites posed by earthmoving and construction activities, there is no requirement for land owners to have archaeological sites excavated if found on their property. Indeed, thousands of archaeological sites are currently registered on farms and other properties across Ontario, and many more are added to this inventory each year. Conservation of this rich archaeological heritage resource in its current context--not excavation--is the objective of the professional archaeological community under the leadership of the Heritage Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Culture. Our key partners in this stewardship effort are the thousands of land owners with archaeological resources on their properties, who continue to enjoy the full use of their lands including routine agricultural cultivation of archaeological sites. We encourage these land owners to support the conservation effort by discouraging archaeological site looting and restricting access to these sites to archaeologists licensed by the Ministry of Culture under the Ontario Heritage Act.
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“Giving the past a future”