section1-03

Step

2. Park Proposal Selection

7: Northern Interior Mountains and Plateaux (Candidate Site -Wolf Lake) : Parks Canada has maintained a long-standing interest in the Wolf Lake area as a possible national park. Until there is support for a feasibility study by the territorial government and the community, a study will not commence.

3. Feasibility Study

3: Interior Dry Plateau
(Candidate Site – South Okanagan - Lower Similkameen): A second round of public open houses was undertaken with a focus on a draft national park concept, including a boundary proposal and a management framework. Parks Canada made progress in building relations with affected First Nations in the area including the Osoyoos and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands.

17: North Western Boreal Uplands (Candidate Site - East Arm of Great Slave Lake – W*): Parks Canada and the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation concluded and signed a memorandum of understanding that establishes a collaborative approach to assessing the proposed national park as part of a broader protection initiative for the Dene’s traditional territory. The feasibility study is now formally underway.

21: East Coast Boreal (Candidate Site - Mealy Mountains): A second round of public consultations focused on a proposed boundary for the national park, and a management framework for the continuation of traditional land uses by local Labradoreans.

38: Western High Arctic (Candidate Site - Bathurst Island – W*): Parks Canada officials continue to work with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to schedule a workshop to review, with Inuit, the government’s proposed boundary. Once the workshop is held, negotiations with Inuit on a park establishment agreement could commence.

4. Consultations and Negotiations

14: Manitoba Lowlands
(Candidate Site - Manitoba Lowlands): The final round of consultations required under the 2004 Canada – Manitoba memorandum of agreement continues to be delayed as work continues to try and engage representatives of affected Aboriginal peoples. Parks Canada continues to work with the province to find a means to complete public consultations.

24: Northern Labrador Mountains (Torngat Mountains): Negotiations of a Park Impact and Benefit Agreement with Nunavuk Inuit from Quebec, who have an overlapping land claim that includes the national park reserve, were concluded and the agreement signed in December 2006. This will allow the federal government to introduce an amendment to the Canada National Parks Act to designate the Torngat Mountains as a national park removing the national park reserve designation.

Source: Parks Canada National Parks Establishment Branch

There was no progress in regions 20, 22, 23, 26 due to a lack of provincial support. However, in October 2006, representatives of the federal and provincial governments agreed to try and fashion an approach that would allow representation of the four currently unrepresented natural regions in Quebec. Region 28 is considered a low priority.

*Withdrawal of Lands