Canadian Conservation Institute’s mission, mandate and values
The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) was created in 1972 to promote the proper care and preservation of cultural heritage in Canada and to advance the practice, science, and technology of conservation. Since 1992 it has been a Special Operating Agency of the Department of Canadian Heritage, a status which allows it to recover a portion of its expenditures from clients.
Mission and mandate
CCI advances and promotes the conservation of heritage collections in Canada through its expertise in conservation science, treatment and preventive conservation. CCI works with heritage institutions and professionals to ensure these heritage collections are preserved and accessible to Canadians now and in the future.
CCI has three core areas of activity, which function as the program mandate:
- CCI undertakes research and development in conservation, including scientific research, advanced techniques for treatment, and practical and innovative solutions for caring for collections.
- CCI provides professional conservation services, including scientific services, conservation treatments and preventive conservation services, to heritage institutions and professionals.
- CCI shares conservation knowledge, through training, professional development, online learning materials and publications, to assist those responsible for heritage objects and collections to make informed decisions about the care of their collections.
To learn more about our mission and mandate, watch our corporate video “About the Canadian Conservation Institute”.
Values
The following values are reflected in all that CCI does:
- excellence and expertise;
- honesty and integrity;
- respect; and
- responsibility and accountability.
Accountability
Governance
Approved by the Treasury Board of Canada in 2010, CCI's special operating agency framework defines the mission, policies and guidelines governing the strategic objectives and activities of the Institute. It also describes the relationship and sharing of responsibilities between CCI and the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH), and sets out a planning and evaluation framework for accountability. It specifies the PCH delegation of authorities and the flexibilities afforded to the Chief Operating Officer of CCI.
Organization and operation
The Director General and Chief Operating Officer of CCI is accountable to the Deputy Minister of PCH through the Assistant Deputy Minister of Citizenship, Heritage and Regions.
CCI's activities support the attainment of the Department's following strategic priority:
- Canadian artistic and cultural content are created and accessible at home and abroad.
As a Special Operating Agency of PCH, CCI is financed through appropriations received through the Department and through cost recovery for its services, training and publications – the Institute is required to recover some costs so that it can maintain current levels of service to clients and develop and introduce new services to address emerging challenges of conservation and preventive conservation.
Planning and reporting
CCI sets out its annual corporate direction and priorities through the PCH Report on Plans and Priorities. CCI reports its results achieved through the PCH Departmental Performance Report and through the Canadian Conservation Institute's Annual Review.
See more information on the development of CCI's activities through its Strategic plan 2021-2026.
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