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Intended Outcomes

The Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) encourages and enables the protection and conservation of sites with historical, cultural and/or archaeological value in B.C. These sites hold physical evidence of how and where people lived. Many of these sites in B.C. are culturally sensitive, contain ancestral remains, and have important sacred and spiritual value to First Nations in B.C. Altering these protected sites without a permit is prohibited under the Act. Learn more about these permits. 

Significant changes have not been made to the HCA since 1996. This project aims to update the HCA to address concerns that have been raised for a long time, including:  

• Making permitting faster and easier, to avoid waiting for multiple permits and navigating unclear rules and processes 
• Helping people and communities rebuild quicker after disasters such as wildfires and floods      
• Protecting heritage more effectively, reducing the risk of accidental damage to sacred or other significant sites 
• Strengthening the role of First Nations in decision-making about their own heritage and ancestors, in alignment with the Declaration Act  

Learn more about the proposed changes to the HCA.

Engagement Summary

The work to modernize the HCA is an ongoing process, spanning multiple years. The Province has, and continues to, revise proposed changes to the HCA based on feedback received through broad engagement with First Nations, local governments and industry in each phase of the project to date. We’re listening and adapting proposed changes to the HCA to ensure changes brought forward result in an updated HCA that work better for all people in British Columbia.

A summary of Phase 3 engagement (summer 2025 to present) is provided below:

• First Nations

  111 First Nations and 5 First Nation Organizations represented through:

  – 5 virtual sessions
  – 24 Government to Government meetings
  – 48 written submissions

• Local Governments

  97 Local Governments and 4 Local Government Organizations and Boards* represented through:

  – 1 dedicated local government virtual session
  – 2 broad stakeholder virtual sessions
  – 55 written submissions
  – More than 11 one-on-one meetings
  – 1 cross-sector permitting workshop (two representatives)

  
  *Participation at UBCM convention presentation, contracted engagement, and 3 UBCM-hosted sessions/webinars not included in above metrics

• Stakeholders

  194 individual stakeholder organizations represented through:

  – 2 virtual sessions
  – 9 stakeholder-hosted sessions
  – 111 written submissions
  – More than 58 one-on-one meetings
  – 1 cross-sector permitting workshop (7 stakeholder organizations represented)

• Public

  2,037 Public surveys submitted