In Canada, the first courses in heritage conservation were created in the early 1980s. Initially rooted in the disciplines of architecture and architectural history, heritage conservation education (HCE) has broadened its outreach over the past decades to include different expertise such as planning, engineering, and management. Currently, Canadian heritage conservation education comprises courses, programs, streams, and formal and informal training and learning opportunities. Existing courses and programs offer a broad range of knowledge and skillsets including crafts, planning, design, management, and adaptation among others. This article discusses how and why heritage conservation learning and training have changed in Canada. Unlike in the United States, the history of Canadian heritage conservation has yet to be written. Unsurprisingly, there is no overview of the evolution of HCE available to this day. Based on a series of interviews with key players in the Canadian heritage sector, the authors review the milestone moments that helped to shape the current landscape of HCE in the country. The article also reflects upon the future of HCE in Canada in view of the changes in professional practice and beyond. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and climate change matters more broadly, have seriously impacted the way heritage is viewed and transformed the role it can play in socioeconomic and environmental policies in Canada, all of which making this reflection timely. Building on their collaborative work within the National Roundtable on Heritage Education—including the drafting of its strategic plan in 2020 and a survey of place-based heritage programs—the authors share their views on the gaps, needs and opportunities for the heritage conservation education sector to fulfill its mission to prepare future generations of heritage professionals.
Dailoo et al. (Sun,) studied this question.