Facility advisory services

The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) works with institutions to ensure that heritage collections are accessible and usable now and in the future. Our team of advisors undertakes two main types of facility-related services:

1. Facility assessment service: This service consists of a general preventive conservation assessment of facilities (of one or several buildings) and an assessment of collections care practices to help you identify and reduce risks to heritage collections. It includes an in-person site visit followed by a report with a summary of the findings and recommendations.
2. Capital project advisory service: This service will help you identify potential risks to your heritage collections during the development of new facilities or in the planning of major renovations to existing facilities. Depending on specific needs, this service may include the review of construction documents and plans, as well as CCI participation in key meetings. Throughout the capital project advisory process, our team provides recommendations to reduce identified risks and to meet your objectives for collections access and use. CCI can be involved in a project from the schematic design phase onwards, that is, as soon as plans start and up to the completion of a new or renovated facility. Please be aware that this is offered primarily as a virtual service and that we do not conduct feasibility studies.

Notes:

• Indigenous communities (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) in Canada are diverse and have customs and protocols that dictate the care and handling of their cultural belongings and ancestors. The Government of Canada has specific obligations towards Indigenous Peoples under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. CCI fully recognizes Indigenous Peoples as rights holders who can define how their belongings and ancestors should be cared for. In support of Indigenous stewardship of their cultural heritage, CCI respects Indigenous protocols and methods and seeks to strengthen its partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, including in the context of facility assessment services and capital project advisory services.
• Given the high demand for these services, we may not be able to accommodate every request. In any given year, we may encourage certain client groups to apply to ensure an equitable service distribution. These details would be communicated before the opening of the application period (consult Application period).
• In some instances, we may determine that a full facility assessment is not required to address your immediate concerns. In these cases, we may suggest a drop-in visit (virtual or in-person) to gain a better understanding of your space. This visit is more limited in scope and comes at no cost.
• For assistance on a range of specific technical issues related to protecting your collections from deterioration (such as climate control, display cases, integrated pest management and lighting), please apply for preventive conservation technical services.

Transcript

Who can apply?

Our primary clients include museums, archives, libraries and cultural centres, whose principal role is to acquire, conserve and exhibit (for purposes of study, education and enjoyment) permanent heritage collections while also communicating about them and conducting research on them.

How to apply

To apply, complete the Facility advisory services request form.

Fees

For more information on fees, please consult the following:

• Fees for eligible client categories
• Fee schedule

Application period

• Every year, the application period runs between January 1 and March 1.
• If your request is time sensitive, please contact CCI.
• We will inform all applicants of the results of our selection by May 1.
• Services are delivered to the selected institutions between June and the following March. For example, if you apply in February 2025, services would be delivered between June 2025 and March 2026.

Response to requests

CCI will respond to requests within three weeks of receipt to confirm that the application is complete and that the request is eligible for consideration. Clients will be informed if their request has been accepted or denied within eight weeks of the March 1 application deadline. Clients whose requests have been accepted will be informed of the terms, conditions and fees (if any) that apply.

Client satisfaction standard

Clients who receive services from CCI will receive an evaluation questionnaire based on the following 11 quality parameters:

• application process
• acknowledgement of the initial request
• explanation of fees
• explanation of service to be provided
• communication during the project
• promptness of service
• quality of service
• usefulness of service
• quality of written material provided (report)
• dealings with staff (friendly, courteous and helpful)
• overall value

Contact us

To submit requests for scientific or technical advice, please contact CCI.

Guides and help