To this end, no government-authorized work can proceed on private property without the landowner s knowledge. However, in 1977 the Heritage Conservation Act extended the protection of sites on private land to include some deposits found informally by non-archaeologists. In these instances, informal information is sometimes given to the Archaeology Branch without the express knowledge of the property owner. Start your investigation by contacting municipal or regional district offices. These government offices can provide information on known archaeological sites within their jurisdiction.
Information is also available through the Archaeology Branch.
The vast majority of records in the heritage registry do not contain enough information to identify individual private properties. There is a feasibility study underway that is exploring the inclusion of archaeological sites on land titles. The purpose of the Heritage Conservation Act is to encourage and facilitate the protection and conservation of our heritage, not to prosecute property owners. Fines can be levied by a court, but this would only take place under circumstances suggesting serious wilful damage or looting of a known heritage site, not the accidental disturbance of a site by a private landowner. There is no hard evidence that having an archaeological site on your property will significantly reduce its value.