The Chambers Building

The physical heritage of Canada’s Capital Region is a visible record of an important part of the Canadian story. It includes our landscapes, buildings, monuments, archaeological sites and collections, and the documents or records that remain after centuries of human history. This physical heritage symbolizes the Canadian identity and gives us a sense of ourselves as a nation.

The NCC has an important role to play in protecting cultural resources and managing them as part of the Canadian legacy. This involves:

• reviewing all proposals for work or alterations to federal heritage buildings and sites through the federal land use, transaction and design approvals process
• managing over 70 designated federal heritage buildings in Canada’s Capital Region, as well as six national historic sites
• managing the official residences, some of the most significant heritage properties in the region
• recognizing cultural landscapes, which link human history and the Canadian landscape
• managing archaeological resources on federal lands in Canada’s Capital Region
• supporting commemorations and public art as an important means of capturing and communicating Canadian heritage
• working closely with the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (FHBRO) on projects and evaluations concerning properties in Canada’s Capital Region.

In its day-to-day activities, the NCC relies on the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada to guide its management of heritage resources.