Archaeological Sites - Information and Guidance

Bulletin - Archeological Sites

Page last updated: March 27, 2024

What Is an Archaeological Site?

An archaeological site is a location where there is evidence of past human activity. Examples include stone carvings and tools, remains of ancient houses and campsites, culturally modified trees, burial sites, and early trading posts. These sites provide information about Indigenous life since time immemorial and non-Indigenous life for the past 200 years.

Archaeological sites are fragile, and the context in which artifacts are found is just as important as the artifacts themselves. Once this context is destroyed through construction or landscaping, that history is lost, even if the artifacts are still there.

The Heritage Conservation Act is the provincial legislation that protects archaeological sites in BC.
Damaging a site without a provincial heritage permit is unlawful. Any disturbance of a site without a
permit is considered a provincial offence and may result in substantial fines of up to $50,000 for
individuals and $1,000,000 for corporations and/or up to two years imprisonment for individuals and the person in a corporation who authorized, permitted, or acquiesced in the offence.

In many cases, archaeological sites are our only link to our past, providing us with a wealth of knowledge and a fragile link to our origins and early history in BC. For most of the time that people have lived in BC, no written records were made. Archaeological sites and oral tradition are the only vestiges of a rich history.
Local governments may access the provincial database (Remote Access to Archaeological Data) to
determine if a recorded archaeological site is located on a specific property. There are numerous criteria that may indicate that an area has high archaeological potential. Each property is examined against available data, including, but not limited to, the Remote Access to Archaeological Data mapping, geomorphology, archival materials, utility mapping, archaeological material, and available literature to assess the potential for an archaeological site to be present.
Every applicant will receive a property owner brochure and notification letter from their file manager
advising one of the following:
- direct overlap with protected archaeological site
- direct overlap with an area of high archaeological potential
- no identified overlap with archaeological sites or areas of high potential
The property owner should review the property owner brochure and notification letter to understand the next steps under the provincial legislation and if provincial approval is required to proceed. If your property has been identified as having direct overlap with a known archaeological site, you are responsible for completing the Archaeology Branch Site Data Request Form and sharing the response with your Development, Engineering, and Sustainability Department file manager.

If your property has been identified as having direct overlap with an area of high archaeological potential, it is recommended that you complete the Archaeology Branch Site Data Request Form and share the response with your file manager.

If you find something in the ground after commencing construction, stop digging. If you think you have uncovered an archaeological site during a project, please do not disturb the site further and call BC’s Archaeology Branch immediately at 250-953-3334.
The City of Kamloops is committed to reconciliation and the importance of archaeological and cultural heritage preservation. We have committed to work collaboratively with the provincial government and Indigenous communities through the Heritage Conservation Act while also aligning our practices with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. The City’s primary responsibility is to notify property owners of potential overlap with or proximity to an archaeological site.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Article 11(1):

Indigenous peoples have the right to practice and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature.
As such, KAMPLAN: City of Kamloops Official Community Plan (2018) contains the following statements and policies:

Section D-7: Arts, Culture and Heritage

Archaeology Resource Management

GOAL: Avoid unauthorized damage to protected archaeological sites.

1 Avoid development-related damage to archaeological sites in accordance with the provincial
Heritage Conservation Act via the following process:

1-1 Review the provincial archaeological site inventory for overlaps with protected
archaeological sites upon receipt of development applications

1-2 Notify applicants of identified overlaps with archaeological sites or areas of
archaeological potential, and direct applicants to contact a qualified consulting
archaeologist or the BC Archaeology Branch for further direction

1-3 Require completion of an archaeological impact assessment prior to development
approval, if requested by the Province

1-4 Require applicants with knowledge of an archaeological site in the proposed
development area to include in their application written assurance from a qualified
consulting archaeologist or the BC Archaeology Branch that all archaeological
requirements have been addressed

1-5 Follow any subsequent protocols, processes, or Memorandums of Understanding
(MOUs) as developed between the City and local First Nations

Have questions? We’re here to help. Please contact the Development, Engineering, and
Sustainability Department, Planning and Development Section at 250-828-3561 or
planning@kamloops.ca.

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