Region made it known it would cease delivering heritage services: public auction might be used to dispose of the very large collection

By Pepper Parr

July 29^th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

In a report that was CONFIDENTIAL and later made public the Region of Halton made it known that it would cease delivering heritage services as of January 1, 2026.

All this was done during a CLOSED session of Regional Council on July 9^th.

There was nothing on the agenda about the matter, there is no mention in the minutes on this matter.

The Region is “deaccessioning: (their word, not mine) and dispersing items from the Region’s collection of 30,000 historical artifacts and archives.

The Collection consists of artifacts, archival materials, and photographs and includes artifacts like tools and equipment, uniforms and clothing, furniture, personal items, medical tools and equipment, communication tools and equipment, natural history specimens, archaeological materials, works of art, and other miscellaneous items.

Halton Region communications specialist Isabel Contin shared more details with CBC Hamilton about what the collection includes. She said there are:

    About 18,400 “objects”: Tools, uniforms and clothing, furnishings, personal and medical items, communication devices, natural history specimens, archeological finds, and artworks.

    About 3,100 photographs.

    About 13,000 archival materials: Maps, documents and other materials.

The recommendations in Confidential Report directs Regional staff to:

• deaccession the historical Collection in its entirety;
• disperse the deaccessioned items from the Collection;
• • work with the Local Municipalities and local community heritage organizations to address any impacts or opportunities resulting from these changes.

Pending approval from Council to deaccession the Collection in its entirety, Regional staff will implement a process for dispersing the Collection – that is, removing these items from the Region’s ownership and responsibility.

In undertaking this work, Regional staff will make every effort to continue public ownership of the items and to keep the items located within Halton.

Dispersal approaches that result in Halton residents gaining greater access to and value from the Collection’s items will be prioritized.

A historical bicycle, seen here on display at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, is among the 30,000 items in the Halton Heritage Services collection that will need new homes. (Submitted by Meredith Leonard)

In undertaking this process, the Region will observe and adhere to all relevant ethical guidelines and accepted museum standards, practices, and procedures, including the Deaccessioning Guidelines produced by the Canadian Museums Association. Regional staff will also review and address all legal considerations related to deaccessioning, including undertaking due diligence to ensure no restrictions are in place for donated items. Thorough documentation and record-keeping will ensure transparency and accountability.

The approaches to dispersing items from the Collection, in order of priority/preference, are discussed below.

Transfer to Willing Organizations

The primary and preferred approach to dispersing items in the Collection will be transfer to a willing Local Municipality, institution, agency, or organization within Halton. This approach is consistent with the goals of maintaining public ownership and presence in Halton, and increasing the value provided to Halton residents.

As part of the review process, stakeholder interviews identified organizations with a potential interest in receiving items from the Collection. These were initial discussions, and no formal agreements were made. However, for illustrative purposes, potential partners could include Conservation Halton, the Halton Regional Police Service, Royal Botanical Gardens, Country Heritage Park, the Milton Historical Society, the Local Municipalities, and local libraries. Transfers to these organizations would be strictly voluntary and will differ based on the level of interest and how items from the Collection align with their individual mandate and capacity.

While transfer to a willing partner within Halton is the preferred approach, this may not always be necessary, appropriate, or possible. For example, there may be items that lack a clear connection to Halton’s heritage or that have a broader heritage value. In these cases, transfer to organizations outside Halton may be considered.

Halton Heritage Services staffers created this historical display for the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in Milton, Ont., as part of their outreach work in Halton Region institutions. The department will be shuttered at the end of the year. (Submitted by Meredith Leonard)

In cases where an immediate opportunity for transfer is not identified, the dispersal approaches discussed below will also be considered. In some instances, the dispersal approaches below may not be suitable. This could occur where items have a clear connection or provide a unique or valuable representation of Halton’s heritage. While the ultimate intent is to remove all items in the Collection from the Region’s ownership and responsibility, there may be limited instances where these items require continued storage until such time as an appropriate recipient is identified. While Regional staff will work to minimize the scope and duration of any continued storage, continued stewardship and safeguarding of items of significant historical value to Halton will remain the first priority.

This will ensure a responsible and appropriate approach to dispersing items from the Collection is implemented.

Public Auction

As noted earlier in this report, there are objects in the Collection that do not have a clear value or direct relationship to Halton or its heritage. In these cases, public auction may be a valid method for dispersal. Where this approach is taken, advance public notice will be provided.

In accordance with relevant museum standards, practices, and procedures, any revenue realized from this approach would be used to support heritage in Halton. This could include providing funding to cultural heritage events supported by the Local Municipalities or to other organizations or efforts that support heritage in Halton. This approach presents another opportunity for the Collection to provide more value to Halton residents and ensures generating revenue for other non-heritage services does not become a driver for deaccessioning.

Disposal

Disposal will be used in instances where items pose a risk to the health and safety of individuals or have the potential to cause harm to other items in the Collection.

Disposal may also be used for items that are in poor condition or of poor quality and that cannot be placed through the other preferred methods described above. Expert advice will be sought as needed to ensure disposal is an appropriate approach and to manage risks in the case of hazardous items.

Indigenous

In parallel to the overall deaccessioning and dispersal process described above, a separate and distinct process will be undertaken in partnership with the Region’s Indigenous Relations team to address the Collection and its approximately 20 items identified as potential Indigenous belongings. These items were added to the Collection between approximately the late-1960s and early-1980s and include beaded objects, bark and quill boxes, footwear, and gloves, among other items.

The Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada included a call for funding for the Canadian Museums Association to undertake a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (“UNDRIP”). In 2022, the Canadian Museums Association released “Moved to Action: Activating UNDRIP in Canadian Museums”, which provides information and recommendations on dismantling the parts of museums that continue to perpetuate colonial harm. The process undertaken by the Region will be guided by these documents, and in particular their content on repatriation/rematriation and collections management.

Next Steps

Given the size of the Collection and the complexity of deaccessioning and dispersal processes, it is anticipated that this will be a significant undertaking with an extended timeline.

Pending Council’s approval, Regional staff will initiate implementation of the direction described above and will work with the Local Municipalities and local heritage organizations to address any impacts or opportunities resulting from these changes, including exploring opportunities for the transfer of items from the Region’s Collection and to address any impacts to existing in-kind support or financial contributions provided by the Region.

Updates will be provided to Regional Council on the implementation progress as required.

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The big question is:  Why all the secrecy?  Clearly, the Region didn’t want to continue spending taxpayers money on Heritage Services.

Why not just say so – and look to the public for ideas? That’s what public engagement is all about.

Lot of questions to be asked on this one.

We are indebted to Cheryl Hall for bring this story to our attention.