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Program Activity 2: Heritage Resources Conservation

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Measuring Commemorative Integrity of National Historic Sites of Canada

The commemorative integrity (CI) of a national historic site is measured by a multi-functional team composed of people from the site, service centres and the national historic sites directorate (managers, historians and heritage presentation specialists). The evaluation involves completing a detailed questionnaire based on the CI statement for the site. The assessment focuses the following elements (see also Table 7):

• The condition of, and threats to, the cultural resources and any work affecting cultural resources completed since the last formal condition assessment.
• Whether management decisions and actions respect heritage values is based on an assessment of the degree to which the site is managed according to Parks Canada’s Cultural Resource Management Policy.  The site is assessed on the existence of complete inventories of its resources, whether the resources have been evaluated for their historical importance, the effectiveness of interventions, the existence of monitoring and review programs for the management of the resources, and whether adequate records are kept of decisions affecting the site. If appropriate management practices are in place, it is concluded that the site’s heritage values are being respected in the decisions and actions affecting the site.
• The effectiveness of communication, which is measured in Program Activity 4: Visitor Experience.

Table 7:  National Historic Site of Canada Commemorative Integrity Evaluation

Resource Condition* Resources Related to the Reasons for Designation Resources Not Related to the Reasons for Designation

Cultural Resource Types: Landscapes and Landscape Features Buildings, Structures Archaeological Sites Objects Designated Place Other Heritage Resources

Selected Management Practices* Inventory and Cultural Resource Evaluation Respect for Cultural Resource Management Principles and Practices Records Maintenance Programs Monitoring and Remedial Action

Effectiveness of Communications** Reasons for Designation as a National Historic Site Messages Not Related to the Reasons for Designation Audience Understanding National Historic Site General Values Effectiveness of Media Range and Complexity of Perspectives Presented

*Measured in Program Activity 2
**Measured in Program Activity 4

Actions Taken to Address Poor Ratings of Commemorative Integrity at Parks Canada Administered National Historic Sites 

Commemorative integrity ratings of poor, fair and good can be summarized as follows:

Poor:	Ineffective, seriously impaired or a significant attribute missing (whether related to condition, communications or selected management practices)
Fair:	Minor to moderate impairment.  Requires improvement
Good:	Effective, or not currently impaired. Any deficiencies are not a threat to the commemorative integrity of the site

Each national historic site with poor ratings on one or more elements of CI is surveyed five years after the last CI evaluation. The aim is to conduct a reassessment of the components of CI rated as poor and report on improvements over the five-year period.

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