Frequently Asked Questions

Q.  What is a "heritage property"?
A.  The Heritage Property Act broadly defines "heritage property" as archaeological objects, paleontological objects, and any property or site that is of interest for its architectural, historical, cultural, environmental, archaeological, palaeontological, aesthetic, or scientific value.  Most heritage property in Saskatchewan typically recognized and actively managed and regulated are built-heritage sites and engineering structures, archaeological heritage resources, and palaeontological localities.

Q.  What is the difference between municipal, provincial and national designation?
A.  Municipal designation is formal recognition and protection through passage of a bylaw by the local council regarding any site located within its corporate limits.  It generally deals with sites of local significance, but may include sites of provincial or national importance.

Provincial designation, which is undertaken by the Minister responsible for The Heritage Property Act through a Ministerial Order, provides recognition and protection for sites of major provincial or national importance.

National designation is undertaken by the federal Minister responsible for Canadian Heritage, and offers only recognition, not protection.  Only sites of national significance are honoured with this level of designation.

Q.  My old building isn't very attractive; surely it can't be of any heritage value?
A.  The architectural importance of a building is often fairly easy to recognize just by looking at a structure.  But one cannot "see" the historical importance.  Hence, the Diefenbaker Home in Prince Albert may appear to be just another house to most people, but once the association with Prime Minister Diefenbaker is made, its importance increases dramatically.

Q.  What is the difference between "restoration" and "renovation"?
A.  A building is restored when the repairs made are exact replicas of the original, both in design and in material.  A building is renovated when modern substitute materials are used, for example: asphalt rather than cedar shingles on a roof; or vinyl or aluminum siding rather than wood; or windows with large, single pane glass in place of smaller multi-pane glass.

Q.  How do I go about having my property designated as heritage property?
A.  At the local level, application is made to the town or R.M. council.  At the provincial level, the request is made to the Minister responsible for Heritage.  At the national level, an application is submitted to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada or to the Minister for Canadian Heritage.  Each agency has its own process and criteria for determining whether or not the site merits designation.

Q.  Do I need a permit to collect archaeological artifacts from the surface?
A.  Yes.  All archaeological and palaeontological objects found in Saskatchewan are deemed to be the property of the provincial Crown and for the use and benefit of all Canadians.  Permits are designed to safeguard the heritage resource by ensuring that those wishing to use (and in effect, consume) do so in the public interest, are qualified, use acceptable methods of inquiry, and report their findings for the benefit of subsequent users and the public.

Q. Do I need a permit to map and record archaeological sites?
A.  No.  Provided no actual physical disturbance, removal, or alteration of the site or its contents occurs, a permit to merely record or map a site is not required.

Q.  Who should I contact to see if archaeological sites will be disturbed when I break or otherwise develop new land?
A.  Contact the ARM Program by phone or in writing or click on the Contact Us button at the left of this page.

Q. Does The Heritage Property Act apply only to Crown Lands in Saskatchewan?
A.  No.  The Provincial Crown claims ownership of all Saskatchewan archaeological and palaeontological objects and does not distinguish between those found on private land or provincial Crown land.  Accordingly, the various resource management and protection provisions of The Heritage Property Act may be applied to heritage sites regardless of land tenure.

Q. Is the Province of Saskatchewan doing all it can to ensure the protection of archaeological heritage resources from land development?
A.  A comprehensive land use and development referral system is in place which enables a determination of both the need for, and level of, heritage resource impact assessment or other conservation action as part of the approval process.  The referral system is being continuously evaluated and refined to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Q: If heritage resource conservation is important to the Province of Saskatchewan, why must developers bear the costs associated with locating, assessing and salvaging heritage sites?
A.  As in the environmental assessment process, the costs of conducting impact assessment and mitigation studies are generally considered the responsibility of the person or organization whose actions will adversely affect the heritage resource.  Of course, the importance and scale of the development, and the degree to which these studies would impose a prohibitive financial burden on the development proponent, must be taken into consideration.