Projects
I.R. Wilson Consultants Ltd., founded in 1983, has a proven track record of extensive project experience on large- and small-scale projects for industry and government throughout Western Canada. We have conducted over 1,600 archaeological projects for approximately 500 clients including developers, forest companies, provincial and federal agencies, utility companies, and private landowners, as well as First Nations and Tribal Associations.
Our project types and sectors served include:
Engineering Firms
- Projects completed for engineering firms include deep sea terminals, airports, highways, large-scale developments and various infrastructure projects.
- Participation in public hearing. Client: Queen Charlotte Island Power.
View Case Studies »
- Conducted archaeological impact assessment ahead of movie set construction, resulting in the identification of a large site protected during filming by elevator matting. Client: Walt Disney Productions.
- Conducted an archaeological overview of the proposed Evergreen LRT to identify areas of archaeological sensitivity. Client: Translink.
First Nations and Tribal Associations
- Studies for First Nations and Tribal Associations have included First Nations consultation, traditional land use and historical studies.
View Case Studies »
- Conducted research in support of a land claim. Client: Eskemtemk First Nation.
- Conducted archaeological impact assessment for First Nations forestry cut blocks. Client: Nisga’a Lisams Government.
- Conducted an archaeological impact assessment for a proposed housing subdivision on the Westbank First Nations reserve. Client: Westbank First Nation Development Corporation.
Forestry Companies
- Archaeological studies have been conducted for the forestry sector ahead of development for forestry cut blocks, pulp mills and logging roads.
View Case Studies »
- Identified numerous sites along a proposed haulroad resulting in redesign to avoid all impacts. Client: Skeena Forestry.
- Forestry overview studies and predictive models were created and used to direct archaeological survey and promote avoidance of sensitive areas. Clients: Western Forest Products and Williams Lake and Morice Forest Districts.
- Identified culturally modified trees (CMTs) with subsequent mitigation and analysis of stem round samples. Client: Interfor, Broughton Island.
- Identified hundreds of culturally modified trees (CMTs) that were avoided during right-of-way clearing. Client: BC Hydro, Babine Transmission Line.
- Excavated and analyzed cultural materials including human remains following salvage archaeological excavations. Client: Norske Canada.
Government Agencies
- Clients have included all levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. Project work has been conducted prior to infrastructure works such as highway construction and realignment, bridges, borrow pits, parks and recreational areas.
View Case Studies »
- Contract to compile an annotated bibliography of all archaeological reports in B.C. Client: BC Archaeology Branch.
- Assisted in the creation of an interpretation plan for Parks Canada for a historic cannery site. Client: Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, Parks Canada.
- Conducted excavations at the Pocahontas site to support an interpretation plan for an early 20th century mining town. Client: Jasper National Park, Parks Canada
- In the Queen Charlotte Islands, conducted an archaeological overview and created a contingency plan for archaeological sites in order to mitigate oil spills. Client: BC Ministry of Environment.
- Archaeological assessment of the Darcy Island leper colony site. Client: B.C. Parks.
- Selected as archaeological consultant for services by VANOC ahead of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Client: Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
Land Developers and Real Estate
- Archaeological work has been completed prior to multi-phase housing and community development, wastewater and storm water conveyance systems, property subdivision, commercial developments and alterations to existing properties.
View Case Studies »
- Identified archaeological sites and provided recommendations to avoid impacts. Client: Fairwinds Development.
- Identification of a large, significant archaeological site resulted in placing piles to minimize site disturbance. Client: Tofino Lot 1 Subdivision.
- Conducted an archaeological impact assessment of a 600 lot subdivision resulting in site protection by the development of green spaces. Client: Sun River Estates.
Mining Industry
- Examples of mining industry projects include work for load-out areas, seam mines, pit mines, ancillary developments, waste piles and sediment ponds.
View Case Studies »
- Identification of archaeological sites that were protected through project redesign. Client: Lossan Mine.
- Assisted in developing mitigation strategy for large proposed mine site with multiple archaeological sites. Client: Taseko Prosperity Mine.
Oil and Gas Industry
- Prior to development, studies have been conducted for the oil and gas industry ranging from large scale pipeline right of ways and facilities, well sites, plant sites, ancillary developments and residential gas line installations.
View Case Studies »
- Developed and implemented a training program for gas installation field personnel to identify possible archaeological material. Client: Centra Gas (Terasen).
- Pink Mountain project documented an early archaeological site in NE BC dating to over 10,000 years ago. Client: Westcoast Energy.
Utility Companies
- Project work has included dams and reservoirs, wind generation projects, substations and transmission lines.
View Case Studies »
- Excavations at DfRu 74 Galiano Island led to project design changes to minimize damage to a significant site. Client: BC Tel.
- Identified archaeological sites in area for potential Cheslatta Lake borrow sources for the Kenney Dam and aided with project redesign to avoid damages to sites. Client: Alcan.
- Identified several archaeological sites during reservoir draw-down, including one potential 10,000+ year old site. Client: BC Hydro, Coquitlam Reservoir.
- Archaeological impact assessment, excavation, and monitoring in response to the installation of a sewer main identified an 800 m long archaeological site extension of intact shell midden deposits beneath West Saanich Road. Client: District of North Saanich.
Please contact us to receive a detailed copy of our client list and featured projects.
where it was situated directly below the cranium, implying it was worn around the neck. The circular pits drilled into the surface are suggestive of spots which could indicate the portrayal of a spotted toad, an animal revered on the Northwest Coast for the shamanistic value of its hallucinogenic secretions.