History of APA

The spark that precipitated the development of the A.P.A. in 1988 can be traced to a consultants conference sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (then Citizenship and Culture) held in the fall of 1987 in Toronto.

The climate for such an organization had been developing for some time. The requirements for archaeological assessments under the Ontario Planning Act and the Environmental Assessment Act had fostered considerable growth in employment opportunities within the discipline in Ontario. The considerable diversity in the background of those practicing archaeology and the varied approaches to archaeological activities had raised a concern for ensuring a high standard of conduct among those deriving their income from archaeology.

The APA was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1990. It is a self regulating organization which seeks to promote the practice of archaeology through an ongoing commitment to high research standards, by encouraging public interest in the conservation of archaeological resources, and by assisting members to express their concerns regarding archaeological issues. The Association functions through a nine member executive board.

The Association has a strong commitment to ethical standards in the conduct of archaeology. As such, the APA has developed an Ethics Code to which its members adhere as well as a grievance procedure to deal with violations of that Code.