Project background

The purpose of the Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) is to encourage and enable the protection and conservation of cultural heritage in B.C. There are over 64,000 protected heritage sites in B.C. and 90 percent of these sites are of First Nations origin.  

For years, First Nations, local governments and stakeholders have raised challenges with the HCA and its administration. Significant changes have not been made to the HCA since 1996.

First Nations continue to call for increased protection of culturally important sites and consistency with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act requires all laws in B.C. are consistent with the UN Declaration. The Declaration Act Action Plan includes Action 4.35, which commits the Province to “Work with First Nations to reform the Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) to align with the UN Declaration, including shared decision-making and the protection of First Nations cultural, spiritual, and heritage sites, and objects.” 

The Province also recognizes the need to improve how the HCA is implemented in a way that benefits all people in B.C. such as making permitting faster and easier, helping people and communities rebuild quicker after disasters, increasing transparency and access to information, protecting heritage more effectively and, reducing the risk of accidental damage to sacred or other significant sites.