Second Reading of Bill C-23, the Historic Places of Canada Act, December 2, 2022.

 Bill C-23 is currently being debated in the House of Commons in Ottawa. National Historic Sites of Canada will be protected, including the trees, landscapes and heritage buildings on the properties.

Bill C-23: Historic Places of Canada Act   A legislative project to give our past a future.

"The Government of Canada administers over 300 historic sites in every province and territory, including rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Besides providing a wide range of benefits to their communities, these places tell the story of who we are and connect us to our past, enriching our understanding of ourselves, others and our country.

Currently, Canada does not have a comprehensive set of laws to ensure the protection and conservation of historic places across the country. To address this, Parks Canada undertook a major project to modernize the protection and conservation framework for historic places administered by the federal government. As a result of this work, Bill C-23, the Historic Places of Canada Act, was tabled in Parliament on June 7, 2022.

If passed, this new legislation will:

• ensure that the Parliament Buildings and other treasured places administered by Parks Canada are protected and conserved into the future.
• ensure that Canada's historic places are representative of the country's history and meaningful to all Canadians, including Indigenous peoples, youth and members of diverse groups across the country.

This legislation is the first of its kind in Canada. It will give Indigenous peoples stronger voices in determining the heritage considered to be of national historic significance and national interest in Canada. The legislation will also allow for transparent decision making, information and sharing with Canadians and Parliamentarians, and the sustainable protection of historic places administered by the federal government."

Definition of inclusion - Inclusion means measures that promote inclusive participation in the designation of diverse places, persons and events of national historic significance or of national interest.

Definition of sustainability - Sustainability means measures that set out the Government of Canada's leadership role in the conservation of federal historic places, and establishes common benchmarks for the stewardship of these places.

Definition of transparency - Transparency means measures that establish clear and consistent processes, and accessible public information about designations of places, persons and events of national historic significance or of national interest and about federal historic places.