Alberta Historical Resources Foundation Annual Report 2017-18€¦ · Alberta Historical Resources Foundation | 2017-18 Annual Report 10 Board Governance Workshop On May 27, 2017,

Alberta Historical Resources Foundation

2017-18 Annual Report

Alberta Historical Resources Foundation | 2017-18 Annual Report 2

Table of Contents

Message from the Chair................................................................................................................. 3

Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 4

Mandate ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Linkages to the Ministry’s Business Plan ..................................................................................... 4

Membership .................................................................................................................................. 5

Committees .................................................................................................................................. 8

Board Meetings ............................................................................................................................ 8

Attendance of Heritage Events ..................................................................................................... 9

Board Governance Workshop .................................................................................................... 10

Foundation’s Visual Identity ....................................................................................................... 10

Results Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 10

Heritage Preservation Partnership Program ............................................................................. 10

Grants Approved ........................................................................................................................ 10

Grants Paid ................................................................................................................................ 13

Policy Changes .......................................................................................................................... 14

Support to Provincial Heritage Organizations .......................................................................... 14

Annual Funding .......................................................................................................................... 14

Financial Reporting Metrics ....................................................................................................... 14

Presentations to the Board ........................................................................................................ 14

Funding to Glenbow Alberta Institute ........................................................................................ 15

Heritage Awards Program .......................................................................................................... 15

Alberta Heritage Markers Program ............................................................................................. 15

Inventory .................................................................................................................................... 16

Completed and Proposed Markers ............................................................................................ 16

Next Steps ................................................................................................................................. 16

Alberta Geographical Names Program ...................................................................................... 16

Note on Financial Statements ..................................................................................................... 16


Message from the Chair The Alberta Historical Resources Foundation (AHRF) has been the Government of Alberta’s

primary means of providing support to heritage organizations, communities, municipalities and

individuals, as they conserve historic places and conduct heritage research, education and

awareness-raising projects.

Through AHRF’s many programs, including the Heritage Preservation Partnership Program,

Provincial Heritage Markers Program, Geographical Names Program and the biennial Heritage

Awards, we have achieved consistent results in our support of efforts and projects that preserve

and protect Alberta’s unique historic resources, and promote our rich and diverse history.

AHRF remains committed to implementing the principles and objectives of the United Nations

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), as well as those of Canada’s Truth

and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action. The board, additionally, holds the

aforementioned frameworks, along with the principles of anti-racism and intercultural competency,

as important considerations in the alignment of its programs and activities.

I extend a warm thank you to the staff of the Historic Resources Management Branch of the

Ministry of Culture and Tourism, for their crucial assistance to AHRF through technical expertise

and support that continues to be of great benefit to the foundation in carrying out its mandate.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank our former Chair, Dr. Laurel Halladay, and board

member Leah Millar, whose terms have expired, for their important contributions to the work of the

foundation. This year, Jennifer Kirchner returned to the Board of Directors for a renewed term, and

was joined by new board members Kari Heise, Deni Lorieau, Dr. Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer, and

myself as in-coming Chair. I am pleased to see a full, dynamic and diverse board, with a rich and

impressive range of expertise to lend to the work of the foundation.

On behalf of the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, it is a privilege to submit the 2017-18

annual report.

Respectfully submitted,

Original signed by Dr. J Maki Motapanyane

Dr. J. Maki Motapanyane

Chair

Alberta Historical Resources Foundation


Overview

Mandate

Created under the Historical Resources Act (Chapter H-9), the Alberta Historical Resources

Foundation is a provincial corporation accountable to the Minister of Culture and Tourism. The

foundation is responsible for providing financial and technical assistance for heritage projects, for

making decisions on naming geographical features and for hearing representations on proposed

designations of Provincial Historic

Resources.

The foundation’s mission is to encourage

initiatives that preserve and interpret

Alberta’s rich heritage. It is the

Government of Alberta’s principal

heritage support agency.

The foundation reports directly to the

Minister through the board chair, and

receives professional, technical and

administrative support from the Historic

Resources Management Branch, Culture

and Tourism.

A mandate and roles document (MRD) specifies the foundation’s accountabilities and reporting

relationships. The MRDs of all public agencies within the ministry were reviewed to ensure

consistency. The foundation’s MRD was approved and signed by the Minister and Chair in

November 2017.

The foundation is also governed by a code of conduct that reflects the board’s commitment to the

foundation’s values and provides a guide to ethical conduct for all the members. The code of

conduct documents of all public agencies were reviewed to ensure consistency and alignment with

the amendments to the Conflict of Interest Act. Amendments to the Act will increase the

transparency and accountability of all public agencies. A revised draft of the foundation’s code of

conduct was submitted to the Office of the Ethics Commissioner in April 2018.

Linkages to the Ministry’s Business Plan

The foundation’s programs are linked to the following outcome articulated in the Culture and

Tourism 2017-20 Business Plan:

The mission of the Alberta

Historical Resources

Foundation is to encourage

initiatives that preserve and

interpret Alberta’s rich heritage.

It is the Government of Alberta’s

principal heritage support

agency.


Outcome One: Vibrant communities and diverse cultural opportunities enhance Albertans’ quality

of life.

The foundation’s grant programs enhance individuals’ and organizations’ capacity to undertake

initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta’s rich heritage. Such initiatives contribute to a better

quality of life for Albertans.

Membership

The foundation is governed by a board consisting of individuals from across the province with a

shared passion for preserving and promoting Alberta’s heritage. Four new board members

including the chair were appointed in February 2018. Beginning in March 2018, the foundation has

a full board of 13 members.

Dr. Laurel Halladay, Calgary

Chair, January 2016 to December 2017

Board Member, September 2016 to December 2017

Dr. J. Maki Motapanyane, Calgary

Chair

February 2018 to February 2021

Aimee Benoit, Lethbridge

Vice Chair since January 2017

Board Member, January 2017 to January 2020

Dr. Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer, Calgary

Board Member



Michael Dougherty, Airdrie

Board Member

January 2017 to January 2020

Joe Friedel, Edmonton

Board Member

April 2017 to March 2020

Kari Heise, Edmonton

Board Member


Dr. Shabnam Inanloo Dailoo, St. Albert

Board Member


Bill Kells, Fort Macleod

Board Member


Jennifer Kirchner, Ponoka

Board Member

December 2014 to December 2017



Ruby Littlechild, Edmonton

Board Member


Deni Lorieau, Edmonton

Board Member


Leah Millar, Spirit River

Board Member

January 2015 to December 2017

Dr. Jan Olson, Edmonton

Board Member


Evert Poor, Sherwood Park

Board Member



Committees

Two standing committees and several subcommittees carry out part of the work of the foundation.

The Strategic Planning Committee develops and reviews the strategic plan. The board has

begun the process of updating Strategic Plan 2015-19 for 2018-21. In 2016-17, subcommittees

were formed to work on selected action items that were identified in the Strategic Plan 2015-19.

These are the Board Governance, Communications/Marketing and Youth Engagement

subcommittees. With the appointment of four new members, the membership and Terms of

Reference of the subcommittees will be reviewed in the coming year.

The Heritage Awards Committee is responsible for reviewing nominations to the biennial heritage

awards and recommending winners to the board.

Board Meetings

Four board meetings were held in 2017-18:

May 26-27, 2017 in Calgary

September 8, 2017 in Fort McMurray

December 1-2, 2017 in Edmonton

February 23, 2018 in Calgary

Grants were adjudicated in May and December. The

Provincial Heritage Organizations also met with the board in

May. In the September meeting, staff of the Fort McMurray

Heritage Society led guided tours of the Heritage Shipyard.

During the December meeting, the board had an opportunity to visit the new Royal Alberta

Museum.


Board tours of transportation artifacts at the Heritage Shipyard at Fort McMurray, led by staff of the Fort

McMurray Historical Society, September 8, 2018

Attendance at Heritage Events

Board members attended a number of events and a conference associated with

projects/organizations funded by the foundation.

April 23, 2017, Evert Poor: Launch of the book Bridge Over Time: The Continuing Story of

St. Albert by the St. Albert Historical Society

April 21-23, 2017, Jan Olson and Evert Poor: Alberta Genealogical Society’s annual

conference in Edmonton

June 29, 2017, Dr. Laurel Halladay: Crowsnest Historical Society’s grand opening of the

Alberta Provincial Police Barracks in Coleman

August 27, 2017, Evert Poor: Open house at the newly restored St. Margaret’s Church, a

designated Municipal Historic Resource in Strathcona County

September 24, 2017 Evert Poor: Launch of the tourism app History Check by the Friends

of Historical Northern Alberta Society at the Provincial Archives of Alberta in Edmonton

September 28, 2017, Jennifer Kirchner: Unveiling of a monument at the Red Deer

cemetery hosted by the Remembering the Children Society

November 9, 2017 Evert Poor: Opening of the play John Ware Reimagined by Workshop

West Playwright’s Theatre held at the Backstage Theatre in Edmonton


Board Governance Workshop

On May 27, 2017, board members attended a board governance

workshop led by the Community Development Branch, Alberta

Culture and Tourism. The workshop provided an opportunity to

reflect on challenges and opportunities and learn useful concepts

to improve board governance.

Foundation’s Visual Identity

Work on updating the foundation’s visual identity continued with

the help of graphic designers from the Historic Sites and Museums

Branch, Culture and Tourism. The new logo and accompanying

style guide were approved. The new logo will be unveiled during

the Heritage Awards ceremony in October 2018.

Results Analysis

Heritage Preservation Partnership Program

The Heritage Preservation Partnership Program is the Government of Alberta’s primary window for

funding heritage preservation in the province. This cost-shared grant program supports individuals

and organizations including non-profit organizations, corporations, municipalities, First Nations and

Métis settlements in preserving, interpreting and promoting Alberta’s heritage.

The program provides grants to support a wide variety of heritage projects. Grants as well as

professional advice are provided for the conservation of historic places and

transportation/industrial artifacts. Grants are also provided for heritage awareness,

publication and research projects.

Other funding streams include the Roger Soderstrom Scholarship, which assists students doing

research in a graduate or extended study program in heritage fields, and the Bob Etherington

Heritage Conservation Fund, which provides financial support to individuals attending training,

and organizations delivering training, on the conservation of historic buildings.

Grants Approved

The foundation approved 125 grants and five scholarship awards with a total value of

approximately $2.5 million (Table 1).


Table 1 Grants Approved


Category Amount

Approved

Number of Applications

Approved Tabled Denied Total Adjudicated

Architectural/ Engineering Services

$166,570 15 0 0 15

Historic Resource Conservation

$1,981,960 76 0 5 81

Total $2,148,530 91 0 5 96

Heritage Awareness $90,540 12 0 10 22

Publications $50,005 12 0 2 14

Research $140,690 10 2 3 15

Total $281,235 34 2 15 51

Roger Soderstrom Scholarship

$45,000 5 0 5 10

Grand Total $2,474,765 130 2 25 157

Grants were awarded to support the conservation of a wide range of historic buildings. Among the

conservation projects that were approved for funding were: the E.P. Ranch in the Municipal District

of Foothills, the Calgary City Hall, the Edmonton Brewing and Administration Buildings and the

Tipton Investment Company Building in Edmonton, the Canadian Northern Railway Roundhouse in

Hanna, the Tsuut’ina Cemetery, the Lethbridge Manual Training School, and the Clark Residence

in High River.


Calgary City Hall, Provincial Historic Resource Lethbridge Manual Training School, Provincial Historic

Resource

Canadian Northern Railway Roundhouse in Hanna,

Provincial Historic Resource

Loiselle Residence in Vulcan, Municipal Historic

Resource

Some of the approved heritage awareness, publication and research projects include: Drayton

Valley’s heritage markers, a monument in the Red Deer cemetery commemorating students from

the Red Deer Industrial School who died during an influenza epidemic, the book Ranching Women

in Southern Alberta, and travel to the Smithsonian Institution by members of the Alexis Nakota

Sioux Nation as part of an artifact repatriation process.

The list of grant recipients may be accessed at

www.culturetourism.alberta.ca/about/grants/previous-grant-recipients-database/.

http://www.culturetourism.alberta.ca/about/grants/previous-grant-recipients-database/


Grants Paid

The foundation paid over $2.7 million in grants and scholarship awards (Table 2).

Table 2 Grants Paid


Grant category Amount of Grant Paid

Historic Resource Conservation $1,964,403.21

Studies and Professional Services $159,327.29

Transportation/Industrial Artifact Conservation $60,039.43

Subtotal $2,183,769.93

Heritage Awareness $124,683.25

Publications $52,399.00

Research $292,380.52

Special project $28,000.00

Subtotal $497,462.77

Roger Soderstrom Scholarship $45,000.00

Subtotal $45,000.00

Grand Total of Grants Paid $2,726,232.70

Grants were paid upon receipt of signed funding agreements (where applicable) and a review of

submitted invoices and/or receipts of actual expenses incurred. In the case of conservation grants,

heritage conservation advisers reviewed grant claims and closely monitored projects to ensure that

all work complied with the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in

Canada.


Among the completed projects in 2017-18 that received grants were: the conservation of Alberta

Provincial Police Barracks in Coleman and the St. Norbert’s Roman Catholic Church in Provost; the

Spirit House Project by the Willmore Wilderness Foundation; and the Town of Raymond Municipal

Heritage Inventory.

Policy Changes

Policies for the Roger Soderstrom Scholarship were reviewed to more effectively evaluate

applications and distribute funds. New policies will be adopted in 2018-19.

Support to Provincial Heritage Organizations

Annual Funding

The foundation continued to provide annual funding to five provincial heritage organizations

(PHOs) to support the delivery of their programs and services. Each organization promotes the

preservation and interpretation of Alberta’s heritage within a particular field.

The foundation paid a total of $2,086,400 to the following PHOs:

Alberta Museums Association - $1,706,440

Archives Society of Alberta - $213,600

Historical Society of Alberta - $94,020

Alberta Genealogical Society - $36,170

Archaeological Society of Alberta - $36,170

Financial Reporting Metrics

The foundation continued to find ways to improve the performance and financial reporting of the

PHOs. In addition to refining and standardizing performance metrics in 2016-17, a financial

reporting template was developed to facilitate understanding and analysis of the PHOs’ financial

positions. The financial reporting template will supplement the financial statements and annual

reports submitted by the PHOs. The template will be used in the next fiscal year.

Presentations to the Board

Representatives of the five PHOs met with the board on May 26, 2017 in Calgary. The

representatives had the opportunity to present on their achievements, challenges and

opportunities. Beginning in 2018, the PHOs will meet with the board annually.


Funding to Glenbow Alberta Institute

The Glenbow Alberta Institute received $3,588,000 through the three-year service agreement with

the ministry to provide curatorial care and reasonable public access to provincially-owned

collections. The collections consist of art, artifacts, archival materials and published works that

document the history of Western Canada.

Heritage Awards Program

In response to the foundation’s goal to promote heritage awareness among youth and the

foundation's commitment to the TRC’s Calls to Action, two new award categories were developed:

the Indigenous Heritage Award and the Youth Heritage Award. These new awards, along with the

Heritage Conservation, Heritage Awareness and Outstanding Achievement awards, will be

presented in 2018.

Alberta Heritage Markers Program

This program promotes awareness of historic people, places, events and themes that have defined

the province’s history. Heritage markers are installed throughout the province at roadside pullouts,

parks and other community locations. Beginning in 2011, markers were designed in two types: the

smaller urban trail marker and the bigger roadside sign.

Urban trail marker: Shaftesbury settlement heritage marker on the Shaftesbury Trail in Peace

River

Roadside sign: David Thompson heritage marker on Highway 16 near Edson

In 2017-18, the program was reviewed to survey the condition of existing heritage markers, explore

more economical design options and enhance program administration.


Inventory

A detailed inventory completed in September and October identified 98 heritage markers of six

different designs at 96 locations across Alberta. To date, four severely damaged markers were

removed and a number of markers were identified as requiring maintenance work or removal due

to structural issues.

Completed and Proposed Markers

In 2017-18, an urban trail marker on Icelandic settlement in

Markerville (see photo) was installed. Work on seven markers

will continue next year.

Next Steps

Three markers were placed on hold due to the escalating cost

of the roadside signs. The program will explore design options

that are more economical. There is also a plan to enhance

Indigenous representation on future heritage markers by engaging with stakeholders and by

prioritizing applications for under-represented topics in Indigenous history. A formal approval

process for removal of heritage markers will also be developed. Engagement with appropriate

stakeholders will be initiated to develop standardized maintenance agreements.

Alberta Geographical Names Program

The board considered the proposals to adopt the names Atkinson Lake and Beaton Lake as the

official names for two small water features in the County of Wetaskiwin. Due to lack of local

support, the proposals were denied.

Note on Financial Statements In accordance with 9(4) of the Fiscal Planning and Transparency Act, financial statements are

available in the Alberta Culture and Tourism 2017-18 Annual Report.

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/F14P7.pdf

Documents

Alberta Historical Resources Foundation Annual Report 2017-18€¦ · Alberta Historical Resources Foundation | 2017-18 Annual Report 10 Board Governance Workshop On May 27, 2017,