Archaeological find during excavation

Know what to do if excavation exposes a potentially archaeological object, feature or site without moving it or blindly continuing.

VERT / GREEN = documenter · JAUNE / YELLOW = vérifier · ROUGE / RED = arrêter/faire valider.

Unusual object/feature discovered
Stop locally, document in place and report to the competent authority. Known heritage/archaeological context
Verify authorizations before excavation. Deep excavation in older area
Check heritage context before mobilization. No indication after checks
Keep the check in the project file.

What the professional checks

Identify nature and context of find
Coordinate reporting, permits and work restart

Official sources

Québec — déclarer une découverte archéologique

Checked: 2026-08-22

V15

Remaining system checks not to miss

V15 covers issues that can block a project, cause a loss or become expensive once concealed.

Before closing wallsUnderground utilities before diggingPost-renovation commissioningCodes + climate by province