You Need and Archaeological Assessment - What Happens Now?

You’ve just received a letter from the Region, the Township or the Province requiring a heritage assessment before you can sever your property, build your houses or knock down that old building. The reason for this is probably because the heritage planner in your municipality has determined your property has archaeological potential. An archaeological assessment is now required under the Planning Act.

Ask your local municipality or approval authority for a copy of the archaeological consultants list. Shop around. Detritus Consulting will perform a stage 1-2 archaeological assessment to satisfy your heritage condition. Turn around time is quick and our prices and reporting quality are top notch. If nothing is found we will recommend clearance.

If there is a significant archaeological site is on your property, we will go to stage 3 (don't panic)! This means test excavation of your site. It’s more expensive than a stage 1-2 but not exorbitant. If after stage 3 we determine the site is of limited significance, a recommendation to clear the heritage condition will be issued. In exceptional cases a stage 4 excavation or mitigation of your site may be required. This is where we can explore all the options to minimize the time and financial impacts to your project.

Most small properties are devoid of archaeological resources, but it does happen. No matter what, you want the work done right and the report submitted to the Ministry of Culture as soon as possible. You’ve come to the right place. From one acre severances and building permits to large subdivisions and gravel pits – we handle it all.


2006 Highlights

We had one of our busiest years ever in 2006. Our projects ranged from assessments of small severances to a full excavation of two Pre-Contact aboriginal sites in Fonthill. We also assessed lands slated for development by Unilock Ltd. and the Waterloo District School Board.
We look forward to another interesting season in 2007.



Work Anthology
The following represents a sampling of the range of clients and type of projects Detritus Consulting has been involved in:

October 2005
Excavation of the Nebo Site - an Archic campsite in Hamilton Ontario
The excavation of this site was necessary for clearance of the Summit Park Residential development.

May – June 2005
Excavation of the Watt Site – an Archaic campsite in Woodstock Ontario
This excavation was conducted in order to clear the heritage condition for the Villages of Sally Creek development.

June – July 2003
Excavation of the Olmstead site – Hamilton
Partial excavation of a Middle Iroquoian Village (c. 1320 A.D.)
Conducted as part of the development of the DiCenzo Gardens development

April - May 2002
Cockshutt – Massey Harris Site Built Heritage Assessment – Brantford
Heritage assessment of the former Cockshutt and Massey Harris industrial complex prior to redevelopment.

December 2001-May 2002
University of Waterloo Research and Technology Park
Archaeological assessment of a 110 acre parcel in north Waterloo. Test excavation of two archaic campsites (c. 4000 B.C.)

June 2002
Lincoln County Courthouse - St. Catharines
Heritage assessment of historic courthouse grounds prior to historic renovation.


Contact Information

Detritus Consulting
Archaeology – Built Heritage
132 Water St. S, Kitchener ON N2G 1Z5
Tel: (519) 744-7018 Fax: (519) 744- 5260
E-mail: garth@golden.net