Organizations Unite in Halifax on the Importance of Heritage in Canada
Kjipuktuk | Halifax, NS — At the National Trust for Canada’s 2025 Conference, with the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals and the Indigenous Heritage Circle, members of the National Council of Heritage Organizations and allied heritage bodies issued a landmark Statement on the Significance of Heritage in Canada Now—now known as the Halifax Declaration.
The Declaration underlines the social, economic, and environmental benefits of heritage places and calls for a national recommitment to heritage conservation and greater investment in protecting Canada’s heritage places.
Affirming that “Heritage in Canada is a living force that strengthens communities and shapes our shared identity. It connects people across provinces, generations, and cultures — through landscapes, traditions, and buildings that ground us in a sense of belonging,” the Declaration highlights both the enduring value of heritage and the urgent challenges facing the sector today — including inconsistent protections, limited funding, and the loss of irreplaceable sites.
To address these issues, the Declaration calls on governments, industries, and communities to act together to leverage the value of historic places through stronger legislation, financial incentives, adaptive reuse, and investment in skilled professionals.
The Halifax Declaration calls for collective action to:
- Strengthen Legislative Protection: Enact effective heritage laws in every jurisdiction, aligned with international obligations and Indigenous rights.
- Invest in Heritage Conservation: Expand grants, tax credits, and other incentives to support care and adaptive reuse of heritage properties.
- Recognize Heritage as an Economic Engine: Increase investment in a sector contributing over $3 billion annually to GDP and supporting jobs in the trades, tourism, construction, and creative industries.
- Advance Sustainability and Climate Action: Promote the environmental benefits of conserving historic buildings, built with low-carbon, durable, and energy-efficient materials.
- Support Indigenous Leadership: Support the advancement of Indigenous-led heritage initiatives and establish a National Framework for Indigenous Cultural Heritage Rights under UNDRIP.
- Build Capacity and Skills: Strengthen education and training in heritage trades to address skills shortages and preserve traditional knowledge.
The Declaration concludes, “Heritage conservation is a powerful act of nurturing communities — a deliberate stand against ignorance, indifference, and erasure.”
About the National Council
Coordinated by the National Trust for Canada, the National Council is a network that links Canadian heritage organizations in a collaborative effort to protect and celebrate Canada’s heritage, while driving meaningful change within the heritage sector.
