ASI

Ontario's heritage also lies beneath our beautiful waterways!

Marine Archaeology in Ontario is still an emerging field, scroll through to see the techniques and tools we use to uncover heritage in fresh water conditions.

Are you an experienced and passionate archaeologist?

We are hiring for two office positions- a Project Manager and a Technical Writer, and we would love to hear from you!

Visit the link in our comments to read the full job postings and learn more.

If you’re excited about these opportunities and meet most, but not all, of the qualifications, we still encourage you to apply!

Name a sport…we’ve got a team worth cheering for!
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Do you have a favourite Canadian sports memory?

We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Ron Williamson on receiving an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Waterloo — the highest honour conferred by the University.

This prestigious recognition celebrates a lifetime of achievement and impact. During the ceremony, Dr. Chris Watts reflected on Ron's remarkable legacy, noting that through the founding of ASI, he helped transform "a fledgling field of Cultural Resource Management into a paragon of heritage preservation."

Making the day even more special was the presence at the ceremony of Ron's wife and partner, Debbie Steiss, and Dr. Rob MacDonald, Ron's mentee and successor as President of ASI from 2016-2026.

We couldn't be prouder to see Ron's contributions to archaeology, heritage preservation, and mentorship recognized in this way.

Scroll through for highlights from Ron's Convocation address and some favourite images from his long and illustrious career.

Congratulations, Dr. Williamson!

University of Waterloo

For National Indigenous Peoples Day, we are celebrating Tim Johnson, a respected educator, curator, and storyteller who has spent more than 45 years sharing Indigenous history, art, and culture across Turtle Island.

Deeply connected to his family’s heritage at Six Nations of the Grand River, Tim has held leadership and consultant roles with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Woodland Cultural Centre, Lord Cultural Resources, and the Niagara Academy for Indigenous Relations, advancing Indigenous education, heritage, and reconciliation.

We have been fortunate to collaborate with Tim on several meaningful projects, including the Landscape of Nations, a memorial to the sacrifices of the Six Nations and Native Allies during the War of 1812, which also inspired Landscape of Nations: Beyond the Mist, a book documenting 13,000 years of Indigenous history in Niagara.

We also worked with Tim on the award-winning exhibitions Misko-Aki: Confluence of Cultures at the Muskoka Discovery Centre and Empathic Traditions: Niagara’s Indigenous Legacy- a digital exhibit in collaboration with the Niagara Falls History Museum.

Through his work, Tim has helped bring Indigenous stories, perspectives, and histories to broader audiences, leaving a lasting impact on communities across the region and beyond.

This June, Brock University recognized his extraordinary contributions with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws, and Tim delivered the University’s Spring Convocation address.

Photo Credit: (1,2) Brock University; (3) Alex Heidbuechel; (4) Mark Zelinkski

We are delighted to share a few of the local events dedicated to National Indigenous History Month and the upcoming National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21!
Check out this post and find opportunities to honour First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada. There are a many festivals, performances, gatherings and learning opportunities to connect with stories, traditions, and cultures of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.

Thanks for following along with our Pride Rainbow of Heritage! It’s one of our favourite yearly features and we love sharing the incredible beauty we see on the job. We hope you have a joyful and safe Pride Season!
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Did you have a favourite photo?
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For our final Pride season feature we have a delightful building in the historic Coboconk Village.
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While conducting a field review for a Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment our team captured this photo of the striking PURPLE face of this timber-framed structure. This building and commercial buildings beside it are a fantastic example of a historic streetscape!
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This village was founded in 1851, formally a logging and limestone quarrying town, it also featured an important rail network and a marina still in use today.
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By understanding the cultural landscape, we can provide recommendations for proposed projects to support the conservation of heritage.
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Photo Credit: Robert Flewelling

The Provincial Plaque Program has nearly 1,300 BLUE and gold plaques across Ontario! This program is run through the Ontario Heritage Trust who accepts applications to recognize people, places, and events that are representative of an important theme in Ontario's heritage.
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Photographed while conducting fieldwork is this plaque for the The Banwell Road Area Black Settlement. A recognition of the legacy of the black men and women who settled in Sandwich East, ON and built a strong, vibrant community. Learn more about this community at the link in the comments!
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Photo Credit: Bob Flewelling

This vibrant piece of glass was found on a historical forge site!
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Certain types of bottles, particularly mineral water bottles, were made in this beautiful shade of emerald GREEN. It was a popular bottle colour in the 19th century, but was largely supplanted by the more vivid “7-up” style green in the 20th century.
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Photo Credit: Savannah Parent Eastwood
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