About national urban parks
Parks Canada is collaborating with partners, including Indigenous peoples, to create a network of national urban parks in Canada’s large urban centers.
Each national urban park will be unique and created through partnerships. Together, these parks will create a network with a shared vision of conserving nature, connecting people with nature and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
These three elements are the foundation of the emerging national urban parks policy, and they help guide the work at each of the program’s candidate sites.
Rouge National Urban Park is the first national urban park in Canada.
Government of Canada invests $130 million to work with partners to create a network of national urban parks
August 2021
Network will help ensure that all Canadians have access to green space.
Read news release
Government of Canada invests $130 million to work with partners to create a network of national urban parks
August 2021
Network will help ensure that all Canadians have access to green space.
Top tasks
Canada’s conservation commitments
The creation of a network of national urban parks is part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to conserving a quarter of Canada’s lands and oceans in Canada by 2025 and working toward conserving 30 percent of each by 2030.
Creating new national urban parks
Parks Canada is working with partners in urban areas to explore the potential for national urban park candidate sites.
Draft national urban parks policy
Parks Canada is in the early stages of developing a new National Urban Parks Policy, which will guide the designation, governance, and administration of national urban parks.
Funding for related research
Parks Canada allocates a small portion of funds towards research that advances the objectives of the national urban parks program.
Minister’s Round Table on Parks Canada 2020
Read the discussion and report of the 2020 Minister’s Round Table, which highlight urban parks as a priority, and includes actions related to national urban parks.
Visit a national urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
Learn more about the Rouge National Urban Park, the first of its kind at Parks Canada. The new National Urban Parks Program will build on the many successes of the Rouge, while exploring different models of governance.
Rouge National Urban Park
Learn more about the Rouge National Urban Park, the first of its kind at Parks Canada. The new National Urban Parks Program will build on the many successes of the Rouge, while exploring different models of governance.
Check back soon for more updates about the program and the candidate sites as they advance.
Contact us
parcsurbainsnationaux-nationalurbanparks@pc.gc.ca