On October 20, 2026, the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism announced that the Province is proposing legislative changes to Ontario’s archaeological assessment and approval process as part of its Heritage Framework Transformation plan. The proposed changes focus on three areas: Streamlined Archaeology Approvals, Enhanced Sector Oversight and Compliance Framework, and Advanced Digital Solutions. The Ministry expects the changes to reduce approval timelines by up to 80%, increase sector capacity by approximately 45%, and improve user experience, transparency, and report reviews.
Background
The Heritage Framework Transformation is a multi-year initiative to improve Ontario’s heritage system while providing greater certainty to businesses through faster approvals for development and land-use planning projects. The Ministry receives approximately 3500 archaeology reports annually and complex archaeological assessments can take up to 5 years to complete. The government has already eliminated the archaeology report review backlog, made information technology enhancements and piloted new standards and guidelines. However, the Province has indicated that there is more work to do to “further reduce archaeology timelines, address low compliance rates, expand the sector and fix persistent inefficiencies that delay projects”.
Proposed Changes
The proposed changes are intended to create a better archaeology process in three key areas.
- Streamlined Archaeology Approvals
The Ministry proposes replacing the current four-stage assessment process with a streamlined, risk-based process that includes:
- Low Risk: Exemptions for small-scale and residential projects where there is no archaeology potential.
- Medium Risk: Permit-by-rule project registration, where work could proceed if mandatory requirements are met.
- High Risk: Ministry-issued authorization with requirements that must be met before archaeology fieldwork proceeds, depending on the project.
The Ministry expects assessment timelines to decrease from 29 months to 4-6 months for 80% of projects, and from 64 months to 12-18 months for the remaining 20%.
- Enhanced Sector Oversight and Compliance Framework
The Ministry proposes eliminating licensing requirements to expand who can conduct archaeology, which would better align Ontario’s approach with the rest of Canada. The Ministry also proposes to increase monitoring to improve compliance with provincial requirements. The Province has stated that the changes would recognize Indigenous-led training and experience, increase sector capacity by approximately 45%, and expand compliance measures.
- Advanced Digital Solutions
The Ministry proposes centralizing data to improve access to information and coordination among stakeholders and Indigenous communities. Improvements would include integrated mapping and real-time updates on approval progress through Ontario’s Centralized Digital Permitting Service. The Province believes these changes would improve the accuracy and detail of archaeological assessment mapping, provide more timely information sharing to support evidence-based reviews and approvals, and improve access to site-specific and compliance data.
Next Steps
These changes are proposed to be implemented as part of an upcoming legislative package which we will likely see when the legislature is back in session on October 27, 2026 or shortly thereafter. If implemented, the changes would come into effect in phases, with some measures coming into effect earlier in 2027 and additional measures introduced over time. The proposed changes are intended to provide clearer processes, greater confidence in decisions, and protection of archaeological heritage.
Davies Howe LLP will continue to monitor these proposed changes and their implications for development and land-use planning projects. If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your current or future projects, our Land Use Planning Team is available to assist.