List of National Parks of Canada

A stylized beaver is the logo of Parks Canada.

This is a list of National Parks of Canada. Canadian National Parks preserve both spectacular and representative areas of the country, located in every one of the nation's 13 provinces and territories. The goal of the national park service is to create a system of protected areas which represent all the distinct natural regions of the country.[1] Parks Canada – the governing and administration body for the system – has developed a plan identifying 39 different regions it aims to represent. As of 2005, Parks Canada reports that the system is more than 60% complete. Canada's parks are managed primarily to protect the ecological integrity of the park, and secondarily to allow the public to explore, learn about and enjoy Canada's natural spaces.[1] As of 2005, feasibility studies have been undertaken for establishing further national parks in four areas: Wolf Lake in Yukon, South Okanagan-Lower Similkameen in British Columbia, Manitoba Lowlands (north-western Lake Winnipeg) and Mealy Mountains in Labrador.[2]

As of 2008, there are 36 National Parks and six National Park Reserves. Not included among the total is Kluane National Park and Reserve, which is considered both a National Park and a Reserve. This list also includes the country's two National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs), the lone National Landmark, and three future parks.

Contents

National Parks and National Park Reserves

Moraine Lake, part of Banff National Park
Forillon National Park
Roger's Pass, part of Glacier National Park
Gros Morne National Park
Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Prince Edward Island National Park
Riding Mountain National Park
Sermilik Glacier, part of Sirmilik National Park
A polar bear in Wapusk National Park

A National Park Reserve is an area that has been set aside with the intention of becoming a national park, pending the settlement of native land claims. Until then, they are managed as national parks under the National Parks Act.[3]

     World Heritage Site or part of a World Heritage Site

Name Location Area Established
Aulavik National Park Northwest Territories 12,200 km2 (4,710 sq mi) 1992
Auyuittuq National Park Nunavut 21,471 km2 (8,290 sq mi) 2001
Banff National Park Alberta 6,641 km2 (2,564 sq mi) 1885
Bruce Peninsula National Park Ontario 154 km2 (59 sq mi) 1987
Cape Breton Highlands National Park Nova Scotia 949 km2 (366 sq mi) 1936
Elk Island National Park Alberta 194 km2 (75 sq mi) 1913
Forillon National Park Quebec 244 km2 (94 sq mi) 1970
Fundy National Park New Brunswick 206 km2 (80 sq mi) 1948
Georgian Bay Islands National Park Ontario 13 km2 (5 sq mi) 1929
Glacier National Park British Columbia 1,349 km2 (521 sq mi) 1886
Grasslands National Park Saskatchewan 907 km2 (350 sq mi) 1981
Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland 1,805 km2 (697 sq mi) 1973
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve British Columbia 33 km2 (13 sq mi) 2003
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site[4] British Columbia 1,495 km2 (577 sq mi) 1988
Ivvavik National Park[5] Yukon 10,168 km2 (3,926 sq mi) 1984
Jasper National Park Alberta 10,878 km2 (4,200 sq mi) 1907
Kejimkujik National Park Nova Scotia 404 km2 (156 sq mi) 1968
Kluane National Park and Reserve[6] Yukon 22,013 km2 (8,499 sq mi) 1972
Kootenay National Park British Columbia 1,406 km2 (543 sq mi) 1920
Kouchibouguac National Park New Brunswick 239 km2 (92 sq mi) 1969
La Mauricie National Park Quebec 536 km2 (207 sq mi) 1970
Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve Quebec 151 km2 (58 sq mi) 1984
Mount Revelstoke National Park British Columbia 260 km2 (100 sq mi) 1914
Nahanni National Park Reserve Northwest Territories 4,766 km2 (1,840 sq mi)[7] 1976
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve British Columbia 511 km2 (197 sq mi) 1970
Point Pelee National Park Ontario 15 km2 (6 sq mi) 1918
Prince Albert National Park Saskatchewan 3,874 km2 (1,496 sq mi) 1927
Prince Edward Island National Park Prince Edward Island 22 km2 (8 sq mi) 1937
Pukaskwa National Park Ontario 1,878 km2 (725 sq mi) 1978
Quttinirpaaq National Park[8] Nunavut 37,775 km2 (14,585 sq mi) 2001
Riding Mountain National Park[9] Manitoba 2,973 km2 (1,148 sq mi) 1929
Sirmilik National Park Nunavut 22,200 km2 (8,571 sq mi) 2001
St. Lawrence Islands National Park Ontario 9 km2 (3 sq mi) 1914
Terra Nova National Park Newfoundland 400 km2 (154 sq mi) 1957
Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve Labrador 9,600 km2 (3,707 sq mi) 2005
Tuktut Nogait National Park Northwest Territories 16,340 km2 (6,309 sq mi) 1996
Ukkusiksalik National Park Nunavut 20,500 km2 (7,915 sq mi) 2003
Vuntut National Park Yukon 4,345 km2 (1,678 sq mi) 1995
Wapusk National Park Manitoba 11,475 km2 (4,431 sq mi) 1996
Waterton Lakes National Park[10] Alberta 505 km2 (195 sq mi) 1895
Wood Buffalo National Park Alberta/Northwest Territories 44,807 km2 (17,300 sq mi) 1922
Yoho National Park British Columbia 1,313 km2 (507 sq mi) 1886

Future National Parks and National Park Reserves

Name Location Area
Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve[11] Northwest Territories 7,600 km2 (2,934 sq mi)
Thaydene Nene National Park[12] Northwest Territories Approx. 33,000 km2 (12,741 sq mi)[13]

Abolished National Parks

Name Location Established Abolished
Buffalo National Park[14] Alberta 1909 1947
Menissawok National Park[15] Saskatchewan 1922 1930
Nemiskam National Park[14] Alberta 1914 1947
Wawaskesy National Park[16] Alberta 1922 1938

National Marine Conservation Areas

Flowerpot Island, part of Fathom Five National Marine Park.

National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs) are a relatively new addition to the park system. These areas have a different mandate than their terrestrial counterparts. They are designed for sustainable use, although they usually also contain areas designed to protect ecological integrity.[17]

Name Location Area Established
Fathom Five National Marine Park Ontario 112 km2 (43 sq mi) 1987
Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park Quebec 1,246 km2 (481 sq mi)[18] 1998

Future National Marine Conservation Areas

The government has announced plans to add five more Marine parks to the system as part of the Marine Conservation Areas Act. The first to be officially announced was Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, although a date of opening has not yet been revealed. Other areas under negotiation are the southern Strait of Georgia and Gwaii Haanas in British Columbia and there are discussions to study the feasibility of an area on the southern coast of Newfoundland.[19]

Name Location Area
Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area[20] Ontario 10,000 km2 (3,861 sq mi)

National Landmark

Pingo National Landmark.

In addition to national parks, a National Landmarks program was established in 1978 but has not yet been expanded beyond a single property. Landmarks were intended to protect specific natural features considered "outstanding, exceptional, unique, or rare to this country. These natural features would typically be isolated entities and of scientific interest."[21]

Name Location Area Established
Pingo National Landmark Northwest Territories 16 km2 (6 sq mi) 1984


See also

BC
AB
SK
MB
ON
QC
NB
PE
NS
NL
YT
NT
NU
Canadian Provinces and Territories
Parks in Canada's provinces and territories

Provincial parks are administered and funded by the provincial governments, however some provincial parks are categorized as national parks (Category II) under the IUCN's Protected Area Management Categories.

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Parks of Canada - Introduction". Parks Canada. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  2. ↑ "National Parks of Canada - Creating New National Parks of Canada". Parks Canada. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  3. ↑ "Backgrounder - Working toward the creation of Nááts’ihch’oh National Park Reserve". Parks Canada (2008-04-07). Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  4. ↑ South Moresby National Park Reserve was created July 12, 1988, with the signing of the South Moresby Agreement; renamed Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site on February 28, 1996. Includes SGaang Gwaii (Anthony Island) World Heritage Site.
    "Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  5. ↑ Established as Northern Yukon National Park in 1984, renamed Ivvavik National Park in 1992. "Ivvavik National Park". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  6. ↑ Kluane National Park Reserve was established in 1972. Subsequently, a large eastern portion of the Reserve became Kluane National Park.
  7. ↑ In 2007, the government announced that 29,000 km2 (11,197 sq mi) of land would be added to Nahanni, making it 33,766 km2 (13,037 sq mi). However, these changes have not been fully implemented yet. "Tories' expansion of Nahanni park praised". CTV Television Network. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  8. ↑ Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve was established in 1988, renamed Quttinirpaaq in 1999 and became a national park in 2000. "Quttinirpaaq National Park". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  9. ↑ Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1986. "Biosphere Reserve Information - Canada - Riding Mountain". UNESCO. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  10. ↑ Part of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, a World Heritage Site.
  11. ↑ "Canada getting new national park in Northwest Territories". Canadian Press (2008-04-07). Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  12. ↑ "Ottawa, Dene agree to create vast national park". CBC News (2006-10-14). Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  13. ↑ "Nature Canada Applauds Federal Government’s Renewed Commitment to National Park System". Nature Canada (2006-10-16). Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Federation of Alberta Naturalists, Fish and Wildlife Historical Society (2005). Fish, Fur & Feathers: Fish and Wildlife Conservation in Alberta 1905-2005. Nature books of Alberta. p. 100. ISBN 0969613474. 
  15. ↑ "Significant events in the history of Parks Canada". Canadian Geographic. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  16. ↑ "Project Update: Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands". University of Alberta. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  17. ↑ "National Marine Conservation Areas of Canada". Parks Canada. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  18. ↑ "Registre des aires protégées du Québec" (PDF). Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs du Québec. Retrieved on 2008-04-27.
  19. ↑ Ditchburn, Jennifer (2007-10-24). "PM expected to unveil marine conservation area". Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  20. ↑ "Harper announces creation of protected marine park". CBC News (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-04-07.
  21. ↑ "Pingo Canadian Landmark - Park Management". Parks Canada. Retrieved on 2008-04-07.

External links