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Program Activity 1: Heritage Places Establishment
Heritage Places Establishment – Performance Indicator
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Creation of National Parks/Park Reserves of Canada
The National Parks System Plan divides Canada into 39 distinct natural regions and is the foundation for the intended completion of the national parks system. The long-term goal is to have each natural region represented by at least one national park. As of March 31, 2007, there were 42 national parks representing 28 of Canada’s 39 natural regions.
National parks are established according to a five-step process:
Table 2: Steps in Creation of National Parks/Park Reserves of Canada
| Steps | Description | |
| 1. & 2. |
Identify areas representative of a natural region and select a potential park proposal |
Involves identifying several areas within a region that are representative of the region and in a natural state, and narrowing these possibilities down to a single potential (preferred) site based on scientific information, analysis and consultation |
| 3. |
Conduct a feasibility study, including consultations |
Involves working directly with the provincial/territorial government, Aboriginal groups, communities and others in studying the area's ecological resources and human uses; identifying potential regional social and economic impacts; developing ecological park boundary options; and conducting public consultations to assess if it is feasible to proceed with negotiating an agreement |
| 4. |
Negotiate park establishment agreement(s) |
Involves negotiations with the provincial or territorial government or sometimes as part of a comprehensive Aboriginal claim agreement. It sets out the terms and conditions of establishment and provides for land transfer to federal jurisdiction. Once the park establishment agreement has been signed, Parks Canada becomes responsible for the management and operation of the national park or national park reserve |
| 5. |
Formally legislate 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. |
Presently, national park proposals are in progress in the following regions:
Table 3: National Park Proposals in Five Unrepresented Natural Regions
| Natural Region # |
Region Title |
Proposed National Park/ |
| 3 | Interior Dry Plateau | South Okanagan–Lower Similkameen |
| 14 | Manitoba Lowlands | Manitoba Lowlands |
| 21 | East Coast Boreal | Mealy Mountains |
| 38 | Western High Arctic | Northern Bathurst Island |
| 17 | Northwestern Boreal Uplands | East Arm of Great Slave Lake |
Completing all the steps for establishing a national park can take years. Many challenges make the pace of advancement hard to anticipate and at times impossible for Parks Canada to control. These challenges include: relationship-building with Aboriginal groups, local communities and other stakeholders; need for provincial or territorial government support; competing land-use pressures and interests; and the time it takes to reach an establishment agreement and legislate a new park.
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