The Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project was a C$30-million

Government of Canada The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes Minister of t ...

capital project that aimed to restore and rehabilitate Canada's memorial sites in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.

Project

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

's thirteen

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

memorials were erected to honour and remember the achievements and sacrifices of

Canadians Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

and

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

ers during the Great War. Collectively, these memorials are symbolic of the Canadians and Newfoundlanders who gave their lives during the First World War, and are physical reminders that their sacrifices and victories must never be forgotten. In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the $30-million restoration project. The repair work required to rehabilitate these memorial sites, now an average of 75 years old, is beyond the scope of routine maintenance. The program of work is being carried out in collaboration with

Public Works and Government Services Canada Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC; ),''Public Services and Procurement Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Public Works and Government Services (). formerly Public Works ...

, the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mil ...

and other specialists, consultants and military historians. The work is separated into four project areas, with the restoration of the

Canadian National Vimy Memorial The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a war memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the Military history of Canada during World War I, First World War. It also serves as the place o ...

being the main priority. On April 2, 2007 restoration of the last memorial site, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, was officially completed and the site was re-opened to the public.

Restored memorials

;Eight of these memorials stand on notable Canadian battlefields in France and Belgium: * Vimy Ridge Memorial
Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Bourlon Wood Memorial The Bourlon Wood Memorial, near Bourlon, France, is a Canadian war memorials, Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps during the final months of the World War I, First World War; a period also known as Canada's H ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Courcelette Memorial The Courcelette Memorial is a Canadian war memorials, Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps in the final two and a half months of the infamous four-and-a-half-month-long Battle of the Somme, Somme Offensive of ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Dury Memorial The Dury Memorial is a World War I Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps in the Second Battle of Arras, particularly their breakthrough at the Drocourt–Quéant Line switch of the Hindenburg Line just so ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Hill 62 Memorial The Canadian Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood) Memorial is a Canadian war memorials, war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps in defending the southern stretches of the Ypres Salient between April and August 1916 including actions ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Le Quesnel Memorial The Le Quesnel Memorial is a Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps during the 1918 Battle of Amiens during World War I. The battle marked the beginning of a 96-day period known as " Canada's Hundred Days" th ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Passchendaele Memorial The Passchendaele Canadian Memorial (''also known as Crest Farm Canadian Memorial'') is a Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps in the Second Battle of Passchendaele of World War I. The memorial is located on t ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Saint Julien Memorial The St. Julien Memorial, also known as The Brooding Soldier, is a Canadian war memorial and small commemorative park located in the village of Langemark, Saint-Julien, Langemark (), Belgium. The memorial commemorates the 1st Canadian Division, Can ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
;Five other memorials mark places of historical significance to the then

Dominion of Newfoundland Newfoundland was a British dominion in eastern North America, today the modern Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It included the island of Newfoundland, and Labrador on the continental mainland. Newfoundland was one of the orig ...

: *

Beaumont-Hamel Beaumont-Hamel () is a Communes of France, commune in the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. During the World War I, First World War, Beaumont-Hamel was close to the front line, ne ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Gueudecourt (Newfoundland) Memorial The Gueudecourt Memorial is a Dominion of Newfoundland war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the Battle of Le Transloy, a sub-battle of the Battle of the Somme of World War I. Located about north-ea ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Monchy-le-Preux Monchy-le-Preux () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France southeast of Arras. History During World War I ten Commonwealth soldiers, from Newfoundland territory while still independent from Canada ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Masnières Masnières () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Population Heraldry History Masnières figured into the 1917 Battle of Cambrai during which time it was briefly captured by the British on the first day of the battle, ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page
*

Courtrai Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. With its 80,000 inhabitants (2024) Kortrijk is the capital and largest cit ...

Canadian Veterans' Affairs web page

References

{{Reflist World War I memorials