For Indigenous governments

The Archaeology Branch recognizes the historical, cultural, scientific, spiritual and educational value of B.C.'s archaeological heritage to First Nations and Indigenous Peoples. 

Indigenous governments help to protect archaeological sites by contributing traditional knowledge, values, and participating in the consultative process. This page provides information and resources to help Indigenous governments in their archaeological work.

On this page

• Access to systems, data and site records
• Archaeology newsletters
• Ancestral remains policy review - Summary of feedback
• The Informed Contributors Layer
• The Resource Inventory Standards Course
• Unrecorded sites and the archaeological site inventory

Access to systems, data and site records

The archaeology branch administers 3 systems that provide archaeological data to qualified parties: 

1. Archaeological Permit Tracking System (APTS)
   • An online client portal that professional consulting archaeologists use to submit applications and manage files throughout their lifecycles.
2. Provincial Archaeological Report Library (PARL)
   • An online permit report library that Indigenous governments and other authorized users can log in to and search, view, download, or order archaeological reports.
3. Remote Access to Archaeological Data (RAAD)
   • An online GIS application that Indigenous governments and other authorized users can access to view, select, and download spatial and tabular data about archaeological sites in B.C.

To obtain access to our systems or data, you will have to submit a signed form to the Archaeology Branch. The Request System Access page contains the latest form, and will help you apply for the access you need.

​Indigenous governments can also request archaeological information like data and site records directly from the branch. This is especially useful if you do not have systems access, or need a very large amount of information downloaded to a data file.

Archaeology branch newsletters

The Archaeology Branch provides 3 newsletters for individuals that regularly participate in the archaeological consultative, permitting, or data submission processes.

Our Indigenous newsletter provides routine updates to Indigenous leadership and First Nation referrals staff responsible for responding to Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) referrals. Other government agencies with responsibilities under the HCA and/or Indigenous relations and reconciliation are also welcome to subscribe. 

To sign up, email archaeology@gov.bc.ca and provide the following information for each individual requesting access:

• Name of Band, Nation, Council, Organization or Affiliation
• First Name
• Last Name
• Email Address

Ancestral Remains Policy Review – Summary of engagement feedback

From August 2018 to January 2019, representatives from the Archaeology Branch met with Indigenous governments across the province to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with Archaeology Branch policies and processes in relation to the respectful treatment of ancestral remains. Notes from individual meetings were distributed to attendees. Archaeology Branch staff reviewed the content of all meeting notes and compiled a list of themes:

• Ancestral Remains Policy Review - Summary of engagement feedback (PDF, 221KB)

The Informed Contributors Layer (ICL)

The Ministry of Forests’ Archaeology Branch maintains an extensive inventory of archaeological information that helps support archaeological site protection, land‐use planning, decision‐making, and research in British Columbia. The inventory is comprised primarily of data collected by archaeologists and has not always reflected Indigenous knowledge of culturally sensitive areas. This can leave sites susceptible to harm when development or other activities occur in an area.

To address this issue, the Archaeology Branch is updating policies, processes, and tools to better incorporate shared Indigenous knowledge into its practices. A new tool being used is an Informed Contributors Layer (ICL), a digital map that displays areas that Indigenous knowledge‐keepers and other informed contributors wish to identify as culturally or archaeologically significant in the Province’s records. The ICL is maintained in the Remote Access to Archaeological Data (RAAD). Participating in the development of the ICL is voluntary, and the contributor can specify what information is held in confidence by the Archaeology Branch and what can be shared with approved RAAD users who have signed an Information Sharing Agreement.

Click here for more information about the program (PDF 618 KB).

The Resource Inventory Standards Course (RISC)

The Resource Inventory Standards Course (RISC) is a five-day workshop designed to introduce field technicians to the discipline of archaeology. The course covers basic site identification, survey, and recording skills, and includes class and field components. The Archaeology Branch works directly with the BC Association of Professional Archaeologists (BCAPA) to coordinate the delivery of the course. The Branch certifies instructors and maintains the list of qualified instructors; the BCAPA coordinates delivery of the RISC course. Upon successful completion of the course, participants are registered with the province and receive a certificate signed by the Archaeology Branch. For more information about RISC, or to set up a course, please visit the BCAPA's website.

To be qualified as a RISC instructor, individuals should be able to demonstrate:

1. the ability to hold a s12.2 Heritage Conservation Act Heritage Inspection Permit for the archaeological culture area;

2. the experience to identify and record archaeological sites according to the current provincial standards;

3. supervisory skills and experience; and

4. adult education and/or teaching experience.

Please contact the Archaeology Branch via email for the current list of qualified instructors, or for information about instructor qualifications.

Unrecorded sites and the archaeological site inventory

Indigenous governments can incorporate information on unrecorded sites into the archaeological site inventory. Once in the inventory, this information is used in land and development planning. See The British Columbia Archaeological Site Inventory and the Provincial Heritage Register Policy for more information.