In Saskatchewan, The Heritage Property Act protects archaeological sites because they offer cultural and scientific awareness into our past that can be studied and shared with the people of Saskatchewan through our education system and museums. In Saskatchewan, we have over 13,000 years of human occupation (in comparison the Pyramids of Egypt are approximately 5,000 years old) and although we do not have pyramids or temples, we do have archaeological sites that have arguably just as much scientific and cultural value even if they aren’t as noticeable on the landscape. This is why Heritage Resources Impact Assessments (HRIAs) are important.

The Heritage Conservation Branch (HCB) determines if a HRIA is required for Projects (e.g. well sites, flowlines, roads, gravel pits, infrastructure, seismic, power, mines) in Saskatchewan. If a HRIA is required, it is the Proponent’s responsibility to hire a heritage consultant to assess the proposed development to determine if any archaeological sites are in potential conflict. If an archaeological site is discovered in conflict with the Project, it is the archaeologist’s job to evaluate the significance of the archaeological site and to determine suitable mitigation measures. Avoidance is often recommended as a preferred mitigation method; however, in some instances if avoidance cannot be maintained, a mitigation (e.g. archaeological excavation) will be required in order to extract as much information from the archaeological site as possible before the Project can proceed.

If your Project has a HRIA requirement, please contact Atlheritage (306-370-9972) to ensure your Project receives the expertise it requires.