Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
The mandate of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada is to advise the Government of Canada, through Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, on the commemoration of nationally significant aspects of Canada's history.
Following a thorough evaluation process and recommendation by the Board, the Minister declares the site, event or person of national historic significance.
In addition to handling designations of national significance, the Board provides advice on the following laws and programs:
- Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act
- Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Program
- Heritage Lighthouses of Canada Program
National Historic Sites System Plan
We are pleased to share the Framework for History and Commemoration: National Historic Sites System Plan 2019. This framework provides strategic direction for Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) in their work to recognize and share our country’s rich history and engage Canadians in their past.
The Framework for History and Commemoration outlines a new, comprehensive, and engaging approach to sharing the stories of Canada’s history through diverse, wide-ranging, and sometimes complex perspectives, including the difficult periods of our past. In particular, it will ensure that the history and voices of Indigenous peoples are incorporated at Parks Canada’s heritage places.
For the work of the HSMBC, this plan identifies strategic priorities that will encourage new and diverse types of public nominations for persons, places, and events of national historic significance. The Framework for History and Commemoration also contains an Annex outlining the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada’s approach to the careful review of existing designations and their plaque texts.