Laws pertaining to metal detecting use (criminal code of canada)

[mike k.]

Ive been recently told by an ontario archeologist that there is NO law pertaining to the use of metal detectors in the province of Ontario ,or any other Canadian province that he knows of. Ive been looking into the criminal code of Canada for any ,but cant find any laws prohibiting theyre use .Its puzzelling why the Niagara parks commision trys to prohibit this sport amongst responsible detectorists ,yet there is nothing mentioned on there website (prohibited in parks catagorie) about the use of detectors .Does anyone know of a person that has been in trouble detecting responsibly in ontario ?? Or do we just hear the rumores ?

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[RecycleRay2]

I was asked to stop digging in parks and Kingston,Kingston being historical they said that is the city bylaw and could be charged under O.H.A.But i was also told that i could detect in the water.

[captcook]

Hey folks,


Your archeologist friend is partially correct. There is no law against metal detecting in Ontario. There is a law against putting a shovel in the ground to dig up what makes it beep.

The Ontario heritage act (sect. 48) forbids conducting archeological field work without a permit or the removal of any artifact or physical evidence of past human activity. It also prohibits diving (human or remote submersible) within 500 meters of a known site or conducting any kind of survey of said site. This distance may be increased for designated sites. For example the Hamilton and scourge ships in Lake Ontario.

The only times it doesn't apply are in normal agricultural or property maintenance work. Also it does not apply on sites where a complete archeological dig has been conducted and a report submitted and held on file at the ministry declares the site to no longer be of any historical value.

The Niagara parks commission lands and adjoining parks canada lands are designated sites. They are on the watch, on land and in the Niagara river. They will normally just explain this to you and send you on your way. They do have the power to seize anything you have dug up and can press charges up to 1 year in prison and or $50,000. I have also see the US Coast Guard use depth charges to force salvage divers in the Niagara River to surface. - I'm afraid I do not know the US laws or what authority they acted under to do this. ( but it was interesting to watch!)

I encourage you to read the Ontario laws for yourself here: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/sta...o18_e.htm#BK83

[jeff of pa]

forbids conducting archeological field work without a permit

What if your not doing it for archeological purposes & just doing it for exercise ?, Profit ?
Fun ? Curiosity ?

Seriously don't you have to be a trained archeologist to be considerd doing archeological field work ?


I know Probably apples & oranges, But just a bit of sarcasm

[bill from lachine]

Mike K.

Just keep away from historically designated sites and you should be good to go....detect public parks, school yards and sports fields and you should be ok.

Regards + HH

Bill

[jeff of pa]

Mike K.

Just keep away from historically designated sites and you should be good to go....detect public parks, school yards and sports fields and you should be ok.

Regards + HH

Bill

Just say your recreating