An archeologist and city police officer at the scene of where historical human remains were found during construction work on Belfast Street. (Photo courtesy of Bonnie Barca)

By Alex McCuaig

On Southeast Hill

Historical human remains found during construction work

Sep 23, 2020 | 11:51 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Historical human remains have been uncovered during excavation work on Belfast Street in the Southeast Hill neighbourhood, according to sources with knowledge of the incident.

The remains were found on Friday with work ceasing and an investigation launched by city police who enlisted the help of an archaeologist.

The remains were uncovered during work to replace a sewer line on the street and were found several metres from the site of previously discovered human remains which were approximately a century old.

Those remains were found about seven years ago, also during excavation work in a nearby alley.

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Work on the Belfast Street project resumed today.

A statement from the ministry of justice and solicitor general was provided to CHAT News. It reads:

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) currently has a forensic physical anthropologist examining the partial skeletal remains discovered in Medicine Hat, on September 23. The OCME can confirm the bones have been identified as human and are potentially from more than one individual. Preliminary assessment of the partial skeletal remains indicate they are not current or recent. However, it may not be possible to accurately determine how old the Medicine Hat bones are, the age when the individuals died or ethnicity based on the limited partial remains found to date, which in this case were long bones only.

The OCME has been in touch with Medicine Hat Police Service and has suggested consultation with local Indigenous Leaders and Elders to find out if the site/area was a burial site or has some other significance or relationship to the Indigenous community.