Question Period Note: Impact of National Urban Parks Program on Government of Canada Priorities

As one of the 196 countries that pledged to protect 30 percent of their lands and waters by 2030, the government made the commitment to protect more nature in Canada than ever before. Creating new protected places in partnership with Indigenous peoples is key to achieving this goal. National urban parks will support the Canadian economy, while also contributing to national and global biodiversity targets with innovative solutions that benefit communities, businesses, and local wildlife.

• Parks Canada is collaborating with partners, including Indigenous peoples and other levels of government, to designate 15 national urban parks across Canada by 2030. Seven candidate sites are at various stages of the process toward designation. Discussion to identify new candidate sites are underway.
• A network of National Urban Parks will contribute greatly to Target 12 of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to significantly increase the area and quality of, access to, and benefits from urban green and blue spaces.
• Currently Canada has one national urban park: Rouge National Urban Park, in the Greater Toronto Area. This park provides access to nature to 20% of the population in Canada who reside within one-hour drive. It also helps to protect biodiversity in densely populated southern Canada and is home to 1,700 species, including 42 species at risk.

• The National Urban Parks Program was launched in August 2021, and the Interim National Urban Parks Policy was published in September 2024 to guide the designation and management of new national urban parks across the country. There are three objectives for national urban parks: nature conservation, connecting people with nature, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
• Parks Canada’s approach to creating national urban parks is, by nature, collaborative. Each national urban park will have its own governance model that reflects the local context and that is co-developed with partners, with special emphasis on collaboration with Indigenous partners. Seven candidate sites in Windsor, ON, Saskatoon, SK, Halifax, NS, Victoria, BC, Winnipeg, MB, St. John’s, NL, and Edmonton, AB are at various stages of the process toward designation.
• Parks Canada continues to receive inquiries from parties interested in advancing national urban parks across the country. At this time, Parks Canada is focusing on the existing candidate sites, and new candidate sites will continue to be explored in the near future.

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