Awards

The Thomas Symons Award

2023

Congratulations to Dr. Ron Williamson on being honoured with the Thomas Symons Award!

The Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards, administered by the Ontario Heritage Trust, are prestigious distinctions that recognize exceptional contributions to heritage conservation, environmental sustainability and biodiversity, and cultural and natural heritage.

We are pleased to share that ASI founder Dr. Ron Williamson has been selected to receive the Thomas Symons Award for Commitment to Conservation.

Heritage Toronto’s Special Achievement Award

2019

ASI’s founder Dr. Ronald Williamson was honoured to receive the prestigious Special Achievement Award at the 2019 Heritage Toronto Awards. The award is presented by the Heritage Toronto Board of Directors, and celebrates exceptional contributions by individuals or organizations to Toronto’s heritage.

From Heritage Toronto: “Archaeologist and advocate, Ron Williamson has been a force within the culture and heritage sector—founding one of the first cultural resource management firms in Ontario, spearheading new planning tools for local governments, and advancing public engagement with Toronto’s history and archaeology.”

Award of Merit from the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals

2019

Our Cultural Heritage Team received a Documentation and Planning Award for their work on the Cultural Heritage Landscape Assessment of Exhibition Place. ASI collaborated with the City of Toronto on this project.

Exhibition Place is a unique space within Toronto and holds special summertime memories for many Canadians. This study represents the first time that Exhibition Place has been documented and evaluated as a complex, including its archaeological resources, landscapes, plants, pathways, views and vistas, and open spaces. This project was a huge undertaking, and we are so pleased to see it recognized!

AIA Conservation and Heritage Management Award | Toronto Management Plan

2016

The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) has selected the City of Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Services team and ASI as the 2016 recipients of the AIA’s Conservation and Heritage Management Award for the Toronto Archaeological Management Plan project. According to the official AIA recipient letter, the award is given in recognition of “outstanding contributions to the field of heritage management.”

CSLA | Award of Excellence

2016

The Canadian Society for Landscape Architects (CSLA) awarded Landplan Collaborative Ltd. with a National Award of Excellence in the Research and Communication category for the City of Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscapes project. Jonas Fernandez, one of ASI’s Geomatics Specialists, provided his GIS and database expertise to organize, design and create the final report.

CAA Smith-Wintemberg Award | Dr. Ronald Williamson

2016

ASI’s Dr. Ronald Williamson was received the 2016 Smith-Wintemberg award at the annual Canadian Archaeological Association conference in Whitehorse, Yukon. The award is presented annually to “professional members of the Canadian archaeological community who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the discipline of archaeology and our knowledge of the archaeological past of Canada.”

Lieutenant-Governor’s Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement | Brian Narhi

2014

ASI’s Project Historian, Brian Narhi, received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement for his many years as a “champion of heritage issues,” according to the Ontario Heritage Trust. Brian has spent four decades perserving heritage in Ontario, for both ASI and for the town of St Catherines.

OAS | Award of Excellence in Publishing

2013

The Ontario Archaeological Society awarded both Dr. Jennifer Birch and ASI’s Dr. Ron Williamson with the 2013 Award for Excellence in Publishing. The award is in recognition of Dr. Birch and Dr. Williamson’s successful 2012 publication “The Mantle Site: An Archaeological History of a Huron-Wendat Community”.

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | Eva MacDonald

2013

ASI’s Manager of Historical Archaeology (Planning Division), Eva MacDonald, was honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the community through her work with Friends of Fort York and Mackenzie House. In a letter to Ms. MacDonald, MP Andrew Cash wrote, “Your expertise in archaeology has helped to expand the historical knowledge of the site by preserving buried and found artefacts for future generations to enjoy.”

Toronto Urban Design | Award of Excellence

2013

The Toronto Urban Design Awards presented an Award of Excellence: Large Places or Neighbourhood Designs to the project team for the Evergreen Brick Works redesign project. ASI was retained to conduct the excavations of the Don Valley Brickworks in advance of the redevelopment of the complex as a natural and cultural heritage facility.

OAS | Award of Excellence in Cultural Resource Management

2012

The Ontario Archaeological Society awarded ASI with the 2012 Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management. The award is in recognition of ASI’s contributions and accomplishments in the industry. The award was presented to ASI on November 10th, 2012 at the Annual Symposium of The Ontario Archaeological Society in Windsor, Ontario.

Ontario Heritage Trust | Certificate of Achievement

2011

Mississauga: The First 10,000 Years is an account of the history and heritage of the city, extending back ten thousand years. The Ontario Heritage Trust presented its Certificate of Achievement to the contributors of this book for there striking insight into the many diverse and intriguing patches of the historical ground on which this modern city rests.

ASI contributed two chapters to this book: Chapter 5 – Forager and Fishers on the Credit: The Scott-O’Brien Site by Ron F. Williamson and Robert H. Pihl; Chapter 6 – Pre-Contact Farmers of Mississauga: The Antrex Site by David A. Robertson and Ronald F. Williamson.

Heritage Toronto | Award of Merit

2009

Heritage Toronto presented an Award of Merit to Ronald F. Williamson (editor) and James Lorimer & Company Ltd (publisher) for the publication “Toronto: A Short Illustrated History of Its First 12,000 years.” From the final retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet to its emergence as a Canada’s leading city, the book explores the evolution of Toronto over the past 12,000 years.

CAHP | Award of Merit: Heritage Communications

2009

The Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals presented Dr. Ronald F Williamson (editor) and Chrisopher Andreae (Author, Chapter 4) with a Heritage Communications Award of Merit for the publication “Toronto: An Illustrated History of Its First 12,000 Years.” From the final retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet to its emergence as a Canada’s leading city, the book explores the evolution of Toronto over the past 12,000 years.

CSLA | Regional Citation Award

2009

The Canadian Society for Landscape Architecture presented ASI, North-South Environmental Inc., Lura Consulting and Unterman McPhail Associates Inc. with a Regional Citation Award for the Seaton Natural Heritage System Management Plan and Master Trails project. ASI was retained to conduct the archaeological and cultural heritage assessments in preparation.

CIP-ICU | Award of Planning Excellence

2006

The Canadian Institute of Planners have chosen the Railway Lands Blocks 32 and 36 Development Strategy as the winner in the category of “Housing” for the 2006 Awards for Planning Excellence. According to the DTAH website, “The Development Strategy provides a road map for the creation of a socially and environmentally sustainable community, on a significant city-owned property adjacent to Toronto’s historic Fort York.” ASI was retained by Toronto Community Housing to conduct archaeological assessments of the area before redevelopment.

 

City of Ottawa | Award of Excellence (Adaptive Use)

2006

In 2006, ASI was granted an Award of Excellence by the Ottawa Architectural Conservation Awards in recognition of the successful adaptive use of the Laurier Bridge. The City of Ottawa annually recognizes outstanding achievement in heritage conservation; ASI was involved in assessing the archaeological potential for the widening of the bridge.

 

CPCI | Project of the Month

2005

The Canadian Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute (CPCI) chose one of our conservation projects as Project of the Month for May 2005 for the Irvine River Bridge Project, Elora, Ontario. ASI was retained by McCormick Rankin Corporation to conduct a cultural heritage assessment of the bridge prior to its restructuring. (Historical photo of Irvine River Bridge with several people gathered in Elora Gorge underneath, ca. 1885.)

 

TAC-ATC | Environmental Achievement Award

2003

The Transportation Association of Canada’s Environmental Achievement Award recognizes an exemplary contribution by a TAC member in the environmental area with respect to providing transportation services. The award was presented to the City of Hamilton for the The Red Hill Valley Project: “More Than a Road.”

ASI was the retained by the City of Hamilton to undertake the archaeological and cultural heritage assessments and excavation work prior to the construction of the Red Hill Expressway.

OAS | Peggi Armstrong Public Archaeology Award

1998

In 1998, ASI, and, in particular, Dr. Ronald Williamson and Dr. Robert MacDonald were granted the “Peggi Armstrong Public Archaeology Award” by the Ontario Archaeological Society to honour their outstanding contribution toward public outreach and the interpretation of Ontario’s cultural heritage.

CSLA | Regional Honour Award

1998

Presented by the The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Regional Honour Award for Outstanding Achievement in Landscape Architecture was presented to the City of Vaughan for the Thoreau MacDonald Property Project. The City collaborated with Stantec Consulting and ASI in the property’s historical reconstruction.

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