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4w ago

Halton Region Begins Deaccession of 35,000 Heritage Artifacts

The plan draws on Bill 23’s transfer of heritage obligations to local municipalities to move artifacts to other stewards, place them in storage or auction them under an open-ended timeline, with Indigenous collections rehomed separately.

A historical bicycle is seen on display at the Halton Region Heritage Services in this undated handout photo. It's one of nearly 35,000 artifacts that will be rehomed when the Region's heritage services shutter at the end of the year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout (Mandatory Credit)

Overview

  • Council voted on July 9 to cease delivering heritage services by the end of the year and deaccession its entire collection of roughly 35,000 items.
  • The archive holds about 3,100 photographs, 13,000 archival records and 18,400 objects including natural specimens, artwork, furniture and Indigenous artifacts.
  • Officials prefer transferring items to local institutions and will ensure secure storage for unplaced objects while auctioning those without clear Halton connections.
  • A separate process led with Halton Region’s Indigenous relations team will guide the rehoming of Indigenous artifacts.
  • Local historians and the Association of Canadian Archivists have formally requested a reversal, warning of lost public access and cultural memory.