Who We Are:

The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) is a Special Operating Agency within the Department of Canadian Heritage. The Institute was created in 1972 to promote the proper care and preservation of Canada's moveable cultural heritage and to advance the practice, science, and technology of conservation.

Mission

Through conservation science, treatment, and preventive conservation, the Canadian Conservation Institute supports the heritage community in preserving Canada's heritage collections so they can be accessed by current and future generations.

This mission is accomplished through conservation research and development, expert services, and knowledge dissemination.

Values

The following values will be reflected in all that CCI does:

• excellence and expertise
• honesty and integrity
• respect
• responsibility and accountability

Clients

CCI's primary clients are heritage institutions in Canada, i.e. museums, art galleries, archives, libraries, and historic sites whose primary role is to acquire, conserve, research, communicate, and exhibit (for purposes of study, education, and enjoyment) permanent heritage collections that are accessible to the Canadian public. The Institute also provides services to federal, provincial, and municipal governments that have responsibility for heritage objects or collections; conservation and heritage training programs in Canada; and incorporated, not-for-profit community-based organizations representing Aboriginal, ethno-cultural, or religious communities.

Organization and Operation

The Director General and Chief Operating Officer of CCI is accountable to the Deputy Minister of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Executive Director of Heritage and the Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Heritage.

As a centre of excellence in conservation, CCI is committed to preserving Canada's rich material cultural heritage and supporting conservation and heritage practices and institutions across Canada. Its activities support the attainment of two of the Department's strategic priorities:

• Canada's diverse heritage is preserved for Canadians now and in the future
• Canadians have access to and participate in a diverse range of Canadian cultural experiences

CCI sets out its annual corporate direction and priorities through the Department of Canadian Heritage Report on Plans and Priorities.

As a Special Operating Agency of the Government of Canada, CCI is financed through appropriations received through the Department and through revenue generation. The Institute is required to recover some costs of delivering services and training so that it can maintain current levels of service and develop and introduce new services to address emerging challenges of conservation and preventive conservation.

Knowledge dissemination

CCI's end goal is the dissemination of conservation knowledge to Canadian heritage institutions and organizations so that they have the information, data, tools, and skills to care for the collections which have been entrusted to them. In support of this goal:

• CCI provides Learning Opportunities, including basic workshops on care of collections, advanced professional development workshops, and internships
• the CCI Library is one of the largest conservation and museology collections in the world
• the CCI Bookstore allows clients around the world to purchase both technical and scientific books as well as a range of publications on care of collections and preventive conservation
• a myriad of conservation information is freely available through the Conservation Information Database and the Staff Bibliography , as well as the Preserving my Heritage Web site