Saint John City Market, New Brunswick Rare Example of 19th Century Market Building © Parks Canada

The term "National Historic Site of Canada" embraces a spectrum of nationally significant historic places. They may be located in urban, rural or wilderness settings. There are small sites such as the Sir John A. Macdonald Gravesite in Kingston, the Ontario burial place of Canada's first Prime Minister. There are large cultural landscapes such as Nagwichoonjik in the Northwest Territories, a section of the Mackenzie River that flows through the Gwichya Gwich'in traditional homeland and continues to be culturally, socially and spiritually significant. There is no one "model" or "typical" National Historic Site of Canada. They may be sacred places, battlefields, archaeological sites, structures or districts. Many are still used for work and worship, commerce an d in
dustry, education, habitation and leisure. These sites are an integral part of what we are, not simply what we were.

Nagwichoonjik(The MacKenzie RIver), Northwest Territories Gwichya Gwich'in in Traditional Homeland © Parks Canada

To be commemorated, a site has to meet at least one of the following criteria. It must

• illustrate an exceptional creative achievement in concept and design, technology or planning, or a significant stage in the development of Canada;
• illustrate or symbolize, in whole or in part, a cultural tradition, a way of life or ideas important to the development of Canada;
• be explicitly and meaningfully associated or identified with persons who are deemed to be of national historic significance; or
• be explicitly and meaningfully associated or identified with events that are deemed to be of national historic significance.

Sir John A. Macdonald Gravesite, Ontario Burial Site of Canada's First Prime Minister © Parks Canada

There are more than 800 National Historic Sites of Canada located in more than 400 communities across the country, in all provinces and territories. There are four commemorations in France and Belgium commemorating Canadian valour during the First and Second World Wars.

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National Historic Sites Of Canada System Plan

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