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Establish Heritage Places

Creation of National Parks

The National Parks System Plan (1997) guides completion of the national parks system (see www.pc.gc.ca/docs/v-g/nation/nation1_e.asp). The system plan divides Canada into 39 distinct natural regions and it is the goal of the Agency to have each natural region represented by at least one national park.

National parks are established according to a five-step process:

Table 1: Steps in Creation of National Parks

Steps

Description

1. And 2. Identify areas representative of a natural region and select a potential park proposal

Involves identifying several areas within a region that are potentially representative of the region and narrowing these possibilities down to a single potential site based on scientific information and analysis.

3. Conduct a feasibility study, including consultations, on the park proposal

Involves studying the area's ecological resources and human uses; identifying potential social and economic impacts on local residents; developing ecological park boundary options; and conducting public consultations to share information and seek input.

4. Negotiate park agreement(s)

Involves negotiations to determine final park boundaries and decisions about land acquisition. It may involve working with provincial governments, local and regional landowners and comprehensive land claims by Aboriginal peoples. This step is completed when the Minister, with Cabinet approval, signs the negotiated park establishment agreement. Parks Canada is then responsible for the operation of the national park or national park reserve under the authority of various provincial, territorial and/or federal regulations.

5. Formally protect the national park or park reserve under the Canada National Parks Act.

The final step is protection of the park or reserve under the Canada National Parks Act.

It often takes years to move through all the steps of establishing a national park. Many issues, including the need for local community and provincial or territorial government support, competing land-use pressures, consultation with and engagement of Aboriginal groups and the need to secure funds for the establishment and operation of new parks make the pace of advancement hard to anticipate and at times impossible for Parks Canada to control. The length of time required and the complexity of the negotiation process create risks that some representative examples of natural regions will disappear before they can be protected and that costs for completing the system will continue to escalate.

One thing remains unchanged; the Agency will not unilaterally act to establish a national park.

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