Federal lands are subject to the National Capital Act and federal projects require approvals from the National Capital Commission. The federal government's Archaeological Heritage Policy Framework (Department of Canadian Heritage 1990) states that:
In order to realize these objectives on all lands and waters under federal jurisdiction,
the Federal Archaeology Office of the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH), has an
advisory role for the protection and management of all archaeological resources on all
lands and waters under federal jurisdiction.
National parks, national historic sites, national marine conservation areas, and historic canals
are the direct responsibility of DCH, through the auspices of Parks Canada, as are those
lands managed under cost-sharing and co-operative agreements. Parks Canada's activities are
primarily mandated through the National Parks Act, the Historic Sites and Monument Act,
as well as the Historic Canals Policy, and are described in Parks Canada Guiding Principles
and Operational Policies: Cultural Resource Management Policy (1994) and Guidelines for
the Management of Archaeological Resources in the Canadian Parks Service (1993).
The Federal Archaeology Office is also recognized as an "expert department" for
matters involving implementation of specific legislation in the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act (1992), where it is outlined that the Government of Canada seeks
to conserve environmental quality and identify and reduce potential environmental
effects of those projects on federal lands that may have environmental impacts,
(Section 2.1 [Definitions]).
An "environmental effect", in respect of a project, is defined to include: