It takes a community to create a national urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
There have been many milestones since Parks Canada first announced plans to create Canada’s first national urban park.
Since 2011, Parks Canada has worked closely with countless individuals, First Nations, other levels of government, the park’s farming community, community organizations, conservation groups and volunteers to realize the dream of creating Rouge National Urban Park.
All told, Parks Canada has engaged over 20,000 Canadians on Rouge National Urban Park, making this one of the most successful public engagement programs in Parks Canada’s 105-year-old history.
Here are some key achievements over the past few years:
| DATE |
MILESTONE |
| June 3, 2011 |
In the Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada commits to work towards the creation of a national urban park in the Rouge Valley in the Greater Toronto Area. |
| May 25, 2012 |
The Government of Canada provides $143.7 million for the first 10 years of Rouge National Urban Park’s establishment, management and operations, and $7.6 million annually thereafter for continuing operations. |
| July 5, 2012 |
What would become the Rouge National Urban Park First Nations Advisory Circle is established. |
| June 11, 2013 |
The Province of Ontario commits to transferring 21.5 km² of land to Parks Canada for Rouge National Urban Park via the Federal-Provincial Agreement. |
| June 11, 2013 |
Transport Canada confirms their intention to transfer 19.1 km² of land to Parks Canada for Rouge National Urban Park. |
| June 13, 2014 |
The Rouge National Urban Park Act is tabled in Parliament. |
| June 21, 2014 |
Parks Canada releases Rouge National Urban Park’s very first management plan in draft for public review and feedback. This document will guide the management of the park over a 10-year period. |
| December 12, 2014 |
Parks Canada signs a binding land assembly agreement for the remaining park lands identified for Rouge National Urban Park with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the cities of Toronto, Markham and Pickering, and the municipalities of York and Durham. |
| April 1, 2015 |
The Government of Canada announces the official transfer of 19.1 km² of Transport Canada lands to Parks Canada – the very first lands that will make up Rouge National Urban Park in the Greater Toronto Area. |
| April 23, 2015 |
The Rouge National Urban Park Act receives Royal Assent from the Governor General. |
| May 15, 2015 |
The Rouge National Urban Park Act comes into effect. Happy birthday Rouge! |
| July 11, 2015 |
The Government of Canada announces they will contribute an additional 21 km² of new lands to Rouge National Urban Park, making it the largest and best protected urban park of its kind in North America once fully established. |
| July 28, 2015 |
The Government of Canada announces a $15-million investment in support of conservation initiatives in the park. Early restoration efforts included in the 15 ecosystem restoration projects focused on aquatic habitat along four tributaries of the Little Rouge Creek with the goal of doubling of wetlands and stream habitat over the next five years and long-term improvements to the health of the park’s ecosystems and agricultural lands. |
| April 1, 2017 |
Transport Canada transfers an additional 21 km² of lands to Parks Canada for Rouge National Urban Park. Parks Canada now manages more than 40 km² of lands committed for Rouge National Urban Park. In total, 79.1 km² of lands have been committed to Parks Canada for the park by all levels of government. |
| June 19, 2017 |
Bill C-18 receives Royal Assent. Bill C-18 amended the Rouge National Urban Park Act, ensuring the Rouge National Urban Park has the strongest possible ecological protections and affirm the role of park farmers so they can continue to provide local food as they have been doing for the past two centuries. |
| October 21, 2017 |
The Province of Ontario transfers and releases its interest in 22.8 km² of land for Rouge National Urban Park. A new app for the park is also launched. Created by students at the University of Toronto Scarborough’s innovation hub, in partnership with Parks Canada, the app offers users the chance to explore the park’s rich history, forests and trails like never before. |
| May 4, 2018 |
The City of Pickering transfers 10 parcels of land totalling 8.22 hectares (20.3 acres) to Parks Canada for Rouge National Urban Park. |
| November 1, 2018 |
The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority transfers more than 190 hectares (470 acres) of land in Bob Hunter Memorial Park for Rouge National Urban Park. |
| January 16, 2019 |
The Rouge National Urban Park Management Plan is tabled in Parliament. Parks Canada engaged more than 20,000 Canadians and worked closely with Indigenous Peoples, all levels of government, community groups, conservationists, park farmers, residents, volunteers, and many other groups to establish the park and complete its first management plan. This document guides the management of the park as it moves from establishment to full operation. |
| June 15, 2019 |
Parks Canada and the Toronto Region and Conservation Authority announce that the Authority has transferred of 18.5 km² to Rouge National Urban Park. The lands include the majority of the original regional Rouge Park and some of the last remaining tracts of Class 1 farmland in the Greater Toronto Area. |
| September 23, 2019 |
The first Parks Canada-built facilities open in Rouge National Urban Park. This includes the Black Walnut and 19th Ave Day Use Areas, as well as new Harvest Trail, the new 5.1 km multi-use trail that connects the two day use areas. |
| 2020 |
Parks Canada adds 5 km of new segments to Rouge National Urban Park's trail network and detailed designs on 10 km of trail in the Pickering and Uxbridge areas were completed. Planning continued on improvements to day use areas and connections among existing trails to help complete the park’s “spine” trail connecting Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine. |
| March 2021 |
Parks Canada publishes Rouge National Urban Park's first Multi-Species Action Plan on the Species at Risk Public Registry. |
| July 1, 2021 |
Parks Canada signs its first lease in Rouge National Urban Park with the farm Judy's Tropical Garden. |
| August 6, 2021 |
Parks Canada announces the members of the Minister’s Multi-Stakeholder and Public Advisory Committee for Rouge National Urban Park comprising representatives from the First Nations Advisory Circle and surrounding municipalities along with community members, who would serve in these roles for the next four years |
| April 27, 2022 |
Inaugural meeting of the Multi-Stakeholder and Public Advisory Committee, providing a forum for positive collaboration and relationship-building among committee members. |
| October 14, 2022 |
Northeast, Central and South Central trails open, adding 23.3 km of trail to Rouge National Urban Park. |
| Spring 2023 |
Parks Canada unveils the final design for the visitor, learning and community centre. |
| July 14, 2023 |
Parks Canada celebrates the reopening of the Twyn Rivers Day Use Area in Rouge National Urban Park, which has been redesigned with enhanced safety measures, parking, recreation and day use space, washroom facilities and ecological features. |
| September 26, 2023 |
The land for the visitor, learning and community centre transfers from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to Parks Canada. |
| May 3, 2024 |
Amendments to the Contraventions Regulations come into effect, making certain offences in the Rouge National Urban Park Act ticketable. |
| November 16, 2024 |
Parks Canada and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority announce the intent to explore adding 119 hectares (294 acres) to the park. |
| January 27, 2025 |
The Government of Canada announces its intent to transfer the administration of lands with high conservation value from Transport Canada’s Pickering Lands to be included in Rouge National Urban Park. |
| January 27, 2025 |
Parks Canada announces a $21 million investment to construct a brand new visitor, learning and community centre in Rouge National Urban Park to strengthen visitor experience. |
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