About Us

Canada's historic places capture the spirit of the nation, providing the connecting fabric that links us together as Canadians. Historic places offer social, economic and environmental benefits that add to the quality of life in our communities. However, our historic places are at risk --- over 20% of the nation's historic buildings have been destroyed in one generation. If we do not act now, more of our national treasures will be lost.

Federal, Provincial and Territorial (F/P/T) governments recognize the contribution historic places make to our communities. Since 2001, the F/P/T governments have worked together through the Historic Places Initiative to jointly develop core programs. The Canadian Register of Historic Places provides a single source of information about all historic places recognized for their heritage value at the local, provincial, territorial and national levels throughout Canada. The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada provide a common benchmark to guide restoration and rehabilitation of historic places, ensuring that heritage values are preserved and that these historic places continue to be useful resources in the life of a community. Visit the Historic Places Initiative website at http://www.historicplaces.ca to search the Canadian Register or to get a copy of the Standards & Guidelines.

In addition to these pan-Canadian programs, individual jurisdictions have developed different grants, contribution or other programs to support heritage within their jurisdiction. For example, in 2003, the Federal government introduced the CHPIF program (now fully subscribed) to support the adaptive re-use of historical places for ongoing commercial use. Alberta has re-aligned existing incentive programs and New Brunswick introduced a property tax credit program for historic places. To learn more about specific programs in your province or territory, consult the websites of the HPI Partners.

The HPI is also a forum through which all the F/P/T governments and heritage conservation stakeholders continue to explore other measures that enable Canadians to recognize, celebrate and protect historic places today and for future generations.

Government Partners

Government of Alberta