Trained and skilled workers are a vital part of a well-thought out and well-executed conservation project.
Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada has four main sections. The first section, the Introduction, begins with the
purpose of the Standards and Guidelines, followed by
definitions of some key terms. The fundamental
principles that form the basis for good conservation practice and underlie every standard and guideline in this document are then summarized. The Introduction concludes with this outline of the
format of the Standards and Guidelines, and a description of
how to use this document.
In the second section, the Standards for conservation are introduced and presented. Nine “General Standards” apply to historic places of all types and to the conservation treatment “Preservation.” They are also required for the two other conservation treatments, “Rehabilitation” and “Restoration.” There are three additional Standards that apply only to the Rehabilitation conservation treatment, and two additional Standards that apply only to the Restoration conservation treatment.
The third and largest section of this document is made up of the Guidelines, which are intended to assist in applying the Standards and determining whether the intent of the Standards has been met. After an introduction that discusses the application of the Guidelines, and a general discussion on substitute materials and balancing other considerations, the specific Guidelines for archaeological sites, landscapes, buildings and engineering works — any or all of which may be part of a historic place — are presented.
The fourth section includes detailed recommendations for other considerations, such as health and safety issues, accessibility, energy efficiency and ecological objectives, and new additions to historic places.
A number of terms used in this document have very specific meanings in the context of heritage conservation. These terms are defined in this Introduction, and are also included in the Glossary. The glossary is followed by a Bibliography (technical guide) of useful books and references.