Canadian Conservation Institute

09/03/2026

🚨 New application deadline for our CPTED workshop! 🚨

We have extended the application deadline for our new advanced professional development workshop “Crime Prevention Though Environmental Design (CPTED) for Heritage Institutions.”

✍️ Apply by September 21, 2026.

Join us in Ottawa from November 17 to 19, 2026, to discover how to discourage undesirable activity at your heritage institution and make sure staff and visitors feel safe, while enhancing security for your collections.

🔗 https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/learning-activities/crime-prevention-environmental.html

08/27/2026

📢 New resources available!

CCI’s emergency response planning resources are now available online. 👀 Check out the manual, our ten worksheets and a customizable emergency plan template. These resources provide practical tools and guidance to help you prepare or update an emergency plan for your heritage institution.

Join our webcast, “Response Ready: Introducing Emergency Response Planning Resources for Heritage Institutions,” to learn about the resources and how to use them:

📅 September 15, 2026 (English)
📅 September 16, 2026 (French)

🔗 Find the resources here: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/preventive-conservation/response-planning-heritage-institutions.html

🔗 Register for the webcast here: https://forms-formulaires.alpha.canada.ca/en/id/cmmutj7qv00s6yn01gbggf28c

The information in this document is based on the current understanding of the issues presented. It does not necessarily apply in all situations, nor do any represented activities ensure complete protection as described. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the information is acc...

08/26/2026

CCI is pleased to take part in the “Cultivating Sustainable Collections 2026” symposium, hosted by the Centre for Sustainable Curating at Western University in London, Ontario. This gathering is focused on advancing sustainable practices in collection management and preventive conservation. It addresses the urgent need for systemic change in how art galleries, libraries, archives and museums preserve collections in the face of the climate crisis.

Don’t miss the free pre-symposium vault and museum tours on September 11, 2026, and the two-day symposium on September 12 and 13, 2026. In-person spaces are limited!

In addition, CCI’s Allison Ward, Heritage Conservation Advisor, and Chiraz Guellela, Assistant Heritage Conservation Advisor, will present the post-symposium workshop “Sustainability and Built Heritage with the Canadian Conservation Institute” on October 3, 2026.

Register now!
🔗 https://conference.has.uwo.ca/Register/default.aspx?code=C002486

If you have any questions about the event, please email [email protected].

08/04/2026

✨We’re now accepting applications for our new advanced professional development workshop “Crime Prevention Though Environmental Design (CPTED) for Heritage Institutions”!

📆 Join us in Ottawa from November 17 to 19, 2026, to discover how to discourage undesirable activity at your heritage institution and make sure staff and visitors feel safe, while enhancing security for your collections.

Don’t delay! The deadline to apply is September 10, 2026.

🔗https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/learning-activities/crime-prevention-environmental.html

07/30/2026

📢 It’s time to apply!

We’re currently accepting requests for conservation treatment services for 2027–2028!

Please note that requests for the following types of objects, cultural belongings and works of art will be considered in the current review period:

➡️Objects
➡️Photographs
➡️Archival documents
➡️Furniture and wooden objects
➡️Textiles
➡️Paintings and polychrome surfaces

Apply now! ✍️ Requests must be received no later than October 15, 2026.

🌐 For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-treatments-services/conservation-treatments.html

If you have any questions or need help preparing your application, please contact us at [email protected].

07/24/2026

🤔 Are you wondering how relative humidity, temperature, light and UV are affecting your heritage collections? CCI’s “Monitoring Your Environment” video series introduces practical tools to help museums, cultural centres, galleries, libraries and archives better understand their collection environments.

👀 Check out the five short videos:
• “Monitoring Your Environment”
• “How to Use a Psychrometer”
• “How to Measure Light Levels”
• “How to Measure Temperature and RH Using a Hand-held Environmental Monitor”
• “How to Measure UV Radiation”

Understanding your environment can help you identify risks, interpret monitoring data and make informed preventive conservation decisions for your collections.

🔗 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5744ST1WbOaQ_KziYZP0deMImBRldIG3

07/22/2026

If you’re considering requesting a loan of our X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer or wanting to learn more about pesticide testing, don’t miss our new video “Analyzing a Sample Using the Swab_Pesticides Method.”

👀Check out how to swab an object and use our new swab calibration method to obtain quantitative results.

Then, don’t forget to mark your calendars! 📅 The application period for requesting XRF spectrometry services closes on October 15, 2026.

🔗 https://youtu.be/DXBfrxzKBSQ

07/15/2026

📢 Apply now for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry services!

XRF spectrometers can be used to:
• determine the metal composition of heritage objects for common metals like iron, copper and aluminum
• determine the grades of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, as well as sculptural bronze
• detect low levels of environmental pollutants, including lead, arsenic and mercury
• identify pigment elemental compositions
• group fragments of objects from different locations together
• determine the composition of glass

We offer two services:
1) Full XRF spectrometry service: One of our conservation scientists will visit your site, for up to three days, to help you set up your analyses and provide a report on the results (includes optional training to become a certified XRF spectrometer operator).
2) XRF spectrometer loan service: Already certified? Borrow one of our spectrometers for up to a month! Free for eligible clients (shipping not included).

📅 Applications will be accepted between July 15 and October 15, 2026.

🔗https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/scientific-services/spectrometry-services.html

07/13/2026

📢 CCI is hiring!

We’re looking to fill two heritage conservation emerging professionals positions (GT-03): one to help support the conservation of heritage places and the other to help with the conservation of photographs and archival documents.

What you’ll do:
➡️ Support the conservation of heritage places, including buildings, architectural components, finishes and related site features.
OR
➡️ Expand your hands-on conservation skills with photographic materials and archival documents, including process identification, assessment, treatment, research and knowledge sharing.

Position details
📍 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
💼 Tenure: One year, starting in October 2026
💰 Salary: $66,559 to $75,472
📅 Closing date: July 24, 2026

🔗 Apply online (heritage places): https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/psrs-srfp/applicant/page1800?poster=2440371&toggleLanguage=en

🔗 Apply online (photographs and archival documents): https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/psrs-srfp/applicant/page1800?poster=2426919&toggleLanguage=en

06/15/2026

🤔 What can you do to ensure sustainable climate control in your heritage institution?

In this four-part series, we’ll share calls to action to explore how environmental, social and economic responsibility can support the long-term care and meaningful use of heritage collections.

📢 First call to action: respect the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to make decisions about how their belongings are cared for, preserved, accessed and used.

Social responsibility in sustainable climate control includes transparency, accountability and policies that support rather than restrict access to cultural belongings. It means caring for collections in ways that also respect people, relationships and living cultures. 🤝

As we recognize National Indigenous History Month, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that our preservation practices align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and that we respect Indigenous self-determination, cultural rights and traditional knowledge.

Learn more about our “Climate Guidelines” and how they are grounded in a broader understanding of sustainability that extends beyond environmental impact alone.

🔗 https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/preventive-conservation/climate-guidelines.html