The City of Thunder Bay is developing an Archaeological Management Plan (AMP). An AMP is a planning tool that identifies land with archaeological potential and sets out policies to protect archaeological resources. This helps ensure that as our City develops, we conserve valuable cultural and historical resources. It is important to understand that once archaeological resources are impacted by development, their context can never be recreated and the potential information is lost forever.
The AMP will deliver two primary outcomes: a GIS-based archaeological potential model, along with strategic planning policies to support the model’s implementation in protecting archaeological resources. The archaeological potential model will provide an accessible and intuitive tool for developers to use to screen whether their planned development will be subject to the archaeological assessment process and provide a greater understanding of the risk of increased costs and scheduling delays.
The AMP also supports compliance with provincially-mandated requirements. The parameters of the archaeological potential model and strategic planning policies are based off the current provincial Standards and Guidelines for Consultant Archaeologists and informed by consultation with local Indigenous communities and other community stakeholders. The goal is to both streamline the development process and ensure the protection and conservation of archaeological resources within the City of Thunder Bay.
Areas of archaeological potential will be identified by analyzing landscape features to identify features of archaeological potential that would have attracted previous people living in the area. These features include creeks, rivers, and lake shoreline (including evidence of these features that no longer exist), resource areas for tool materials and food, as well as the locations of previously recorded sites. The model will also consider traditional land use patterns and historic settlement areas.
Current Status
Completion of a draft Archaeological Management Plan is anticipated for the end of April 2026. This follows months of detailed research, GIS analysis, and evaluation of the archaeological potential model.
Woodland Heritage Northwest (WHNW), a local archaeology firm, has been hired by the City to complete the AMP. WHNW is an Indigenous-owned company with over 30 years of experience in the field of cultural heritage resource management, with an emphasis on community engagement. WHNW has direct experience working with Fort William First Nation, rural municipalities, local contractors, and the City of Thunder Bay.
Once finalized, the AMP will serve as a key component of the City’s cultural resource management framework, guiding the preservation, protection, and respectful stewardship of archaeological sites as part of future planning and development strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
| What is an Archaeological Management Plan (AMP)? |
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An Archaeological Management Plan (AMP) is a planning tool designed to identify, protect, and manage archaeological resources within a municipality. AMPs generally include an archaeological potential model that is a GIS application showing where archaeological potential exists within the municipality. An AMP also provides guidance on how to incorporate and maintain this model within existing municipal planning frameworks, providing policies and procedures to clarify how archaeology fits within the development process. |
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Why develop an Archaeological Management Plan? |
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Under Section 4.6 of the Provincial Planning Statement 2024, Ontario municipalities share responsibility for safeguarding archaeological resources within their boundaries. Planning authorities cannot permit development and site alteration on lands containing archaeological resources unless the significant archaeological resources have been conserved. Areas of archaeological potential may contain significant archaeological resources and must be investigated before development can be permitted. The Provincial Planning Statement encourages municipalities to develop archaeological management plans to better understand local circumstances for identifying archaeological resources and areas of archaeological potential. When reviewing certain development proposals, planners must assess whether Indigenous or historic archaeological sites could be affected, and whether an archaeological assessment is needed. An AMP helps support this decision-making by identifying areas with high archaeological potential. It also provides municipalities with the chance to establish clear policies and guidelines, such as which development applications require assessments and how Indigenous communities should be engaged throughout the process. |
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What is an archaeological assessment? |
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An archaeological assessment is a professional study conducted by an experienced archaeologist to determine whether archaeological resources, such as artifacts or sites, exist in a specific area. These assessments are usually required when there is the potential for proposed development to disturb such resources. In Ontario, only provincially licensed archaeologists can conduct these assessments, and all information is reviewed and archived by the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism in the form of extensive reports. Assessments vary in scope, from preliminary research to full-scale excavations, depending on the size, significance, and potential impacts to any identified sites. |
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How will the AMP impact development and growth in Thunder Bay? |
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The AMP for the City of Thunder Bay will clarify the level of risk that developers may take on when proposing certain developments. The AMP will outline where archaeological potential exists with the City (i.e., where archaeological assessments will be required), provide documentation supporting the evaluation of archaeological potential, outline the necessary steps that developers will need to take to be compliant, and provide direction on how to engage with Indigenous communities whose heritage may be impacted by the development. By providing clear direction for how the City will conserve and protect archaeological resources within its jurisdiction, developers will be able to budget and schedule their projects accordingly. |
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Who develops an Archaeological Management Plan? |
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When a municipality chooses to create an AMP, they typically work with archaeological or planning consultants to build both the archaeological potential model and the plan’s implementation framework. The process involves consultation with local organizations, Indigenous communities, and experts in regional archaeology and history to ensure the model is well-informed. After its implementation, the municipality is responsible for keeping the plan current and integrating it into ongoing planning and development decisions. |
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How would an Archaeological Management Plan consider underwater archaeology? |
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The AMP for the City of Thunder Bay is primarily focused on land-based development and the process for mitigating impact to terrestrial archaeological sites. However, as a City with a rich history tied to the shorelines of Gichi-Gami, or Lake Superior, there is potential for archaeological resources to be located beneath the water. In the event that proposed development intends to impact the lake bottom, underwater protocols are outlined in the AMP as well. This is particularly important as development of the waterfront continues, which is an area of the city where underwater archaeological sites have already been identified. |
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