2012
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation

The Provincial Archaeology Office has demonstrated the public service values of excellence, leadership, innovation, and relationship building, having helped to advance citizen understanding of history and present place. Its resource management and protection of irreplaceable cultural resources is described as superb. The dedicated individuals of the Provincial Archaeology Office – Martha, Delphina, Stephen and Ken – make daily contributions to our understanding of the province, and together, the team is committed to meaningful consultation with groups that have an interest in archaeology and heritage.

Having developed state-of-the-art tools, procedures, policies, and partnerships, this small team continues to meet the increasing need for its expertise, contributing over the years to projects such as Hibernia, and Voisey’s Bay Nickel in Labrador. They work diligently with all sectors to assess land before development – from individuals building summer homes to mining companies – and proponents speak highly of the team’s support. Their proactive approach to relationship-building has influenced the protection of valuable archaeological resources in our environment.

Offering support to community groups, municipal planners, and Aboriginal organizations, the Provincial Archaeology Office is frequently acknowledged to be among the most professional and accessible archaeology offices in Canada. That accessibility extends to the Department of Archaeology at Memorial University. Members of the team dedicate time to lecture in classes, engaging students in study and research opportunities, and their outreach efforts continue to the wider community. Stephen Hull’s successful blog, Inside Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeology, has a dedicated following and was recognized by the Canadian Archaeological Association with the 2013 Public Communications award.

The team is credited with enhancing interest in this province on the world archaeological stage by their participation in sector conferences, and enthusiasm and extensive subject knowledge. Their work spans numerous sectors including tourism, energy, mineral exploration, heritage and academia. For their body of work, and for their dedication to promoting archaeology throughout the province, they are recognized with this award.