Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory facts for kids

The Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory (called Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec in French) is an online tool that helps people learn about cultural heritage in the Canadian province of Quebec. It's like a big website or database. The government department in charge of culture, called the Ministry of Culture and Communications, keeps it updated.

This directory lists important heritage items, places, and even events or people. These include buildings, objects, and other things that are officially protected on the Québec Cultural Heritage Registry. The directory also has lots of details about other heritage items that the Ministry or its partners have found and recorded.

Both the Directory and the Registry were created under a law called the Cultural Heritage Act (la Loi sur le patrimoine culturel). This law became official on October 19, 2011, and started working a year later, on October 19, 2012. This new law replaced an older one from 1972, which was called the Cultural Property Act (la Loi sur les biens culturels).

Protecting Quebec's Past

The main goal of the Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory is to help everyone discover, understand, and protect the rich history and culture of Quebec. It's a way to make sure that important parts of Quebec's past are remembered and cared for.

What is Cultural Heritage?

Cultural heritage means all the special things from the past that are important to a community or a country. This can include old buildings, historical sites, artworks, documents, and even traditions or stories. These items help us understand where we came from and how we live today.

How the Heritage Law Changed

For many years, Quebec had a law to protect its cultural items. But over time, the government decided to create a new, better law to make sure more things could be protected and that the rules were clearer.

The Old 1972 Law

Before the current law, there was the Cultural Property Act of 1972. Under this old law, a different registry listed buildings, structures, and smaller items like documents or art. The goal was to "identify, preserve, and make known the heritage of all regions of Quebec."

Directory vs. Registry in the Past

Under the 1972 law, the Répertoire (Directory) included the Registre (Registry). The Registry listed things like natural areas, historic neighborhoods, and items protected by local towns. It also included parts of buildings or sites that were protected.

It's important to know that just being listed in the Répertoire did not automatically protect a site by law. In 2010, the provincial government protected 761 properties under the 1972 law. Also, about 60,000 properties were protected by local city governments. The new law aimed to make the system even better and clearer for everyone.