Hundreds of historic buildings and sites, monuments, landscapes and archeological sites exist in every region across the country. But many are decaying or disappearing altogether. Working with the private sector, volunteers and other levels of government, the Government of Canada wants to reverse that trend by involving Canadians from all walks of life in safeguarding our treasures from the past.
Historic places are more than bricks and mortar.
For future generations to be able to cherish our treasures from our past, we must act now. The Government of Canada will create a register of historic places, establish conservation standards and guidelines, and put in place a certification process. Once these tools are in place, the Government of Canada will be in a position to implement new financial incentives with the specific objective of preserving our built heritage. These incentives will be targeted to the private sector and they will be designed to tip the balance in the decision making process to favor the conservation of heritage property over its demolition. The federal government will work with the provinces and territories to develop a comprehensive listing of historic places.