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47-474: National Parks Act may refer to, among others, these acts: National Parks Act (Canada) National Parks Act 1980 (Malaysia) National Parks Act 1980 (New Zealand) National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (United Kingdom) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

94-558: A concern about whether the Parks Canada Agency was effectively implementing the Canada National Parks Act ' s commitment to conservation. They highlighted that only 13% of the Parks Canada Agency's spending on national parks was dedicated to spending on conservation specifically. In response to such criticism, Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine Mckenna promised a renewed focus of

141-1109: A declining trend. Parks Canada Parks Canada ( French : Parcs Canada ), is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks , three National Marine Conservation Areas , 172 National Historic Sites , one National Urban Park ( Rouge National Urban Park ), and one National Landmark ( Pingo Canadian Landmark ). Parks Canada is mandated to "protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage , and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations ". The agency also administers lands and waters set aside as potential national parklands, including 10 National Park Reserves and one National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. More than 450,000 km (170,000 sq mi) of lands and waters in national parks and national marine conservation areas has been set aside for such purposes. Parks Canada cooperatively manages

188-401: A female beaver, is Parks Canada's mascot. A series of animated shorts starring her are hosted on the organization's website and have also been aired on television as interstitials . The Parks Canada Agency was established as a separate service entity in 1998 and falls under the responsibility of Environment and Climate Change Canada . Before 2003, Parks Canada (under various names) fell under

235-428: A future national park pending the settlement of an unresolved land claim. Section 40 of Canada National Parks Act (2000) stipulates the right of traditional harvesting by stating, "the application of this Act to a park reserve is subject to the carrying on of traditional renewable resource harvesting activities by aboriginal persons" (2000, c.32, s.40). Section 8(2) of the Canada National Parks Act (2000) outlines

282-502: A large majority of their protected areas and heritage sites with Indigenous partners . The Canadian Register of Historic Places is supported and managed by the agency, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments and other federal bodies. The agency is also the working arm of the national Historic Sites and Monuments Board , which recommends National Historic Sites , Events , and Persons . The minister of environment and climate change ( Steven Guilbeault since 2021)

329-485: A legal challenge to its use, there are no precise and clear definitions for it ". Regardless of the fluidity of the term, there are some common elements, "There are, however, certain common elements found in many definitions: naturalness, wholeness, continuity through time ". According to the most recent iteration of the Canada National Parks Act S.C. 2000, c.32 ., Parks Canada is responsible for

376-437: A more holistic approach, fostering increasingly complete results. One of Parks Canada's most recent publications, Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Ecological integrity of national parks (2018), demonstrates how effective Parks Canada's recent efforts have been. More exhaustive science-based methodology allows for more precise results and ultimately, better management. This document, and all results, are based on

423-514: A natural state or are capable of returning to a natural state. Any activity that may impair the wilderness character of these areas is restricted, with the possible exception of activities regarding public safety, basic visitor facilities and park administration. Many of Canada's national parks were established on the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples and it has been argued that early national parks were used as tools of colonialism. Although today Parks Canada promotes itself as working closely with

470-501: A number of Indigenous groups as partners in the management of many national park reserves, past national parks acts explicitly excluded Indigenous peoples from parklands. In some cases, Indigenous people were forcibly removed from areas that would become national parks, while in others, Indigenous people were encouraged to sell or trade their reserves for lands outsides of the park. The creation of Canada’s first national park, Banff National Park (then Rocky Mountains National Park), barred

517-455: A significant amount of debate surrounding the definition of ecological integrity. As can be seen through the evolution of the term, ecological integrity is deeply rooted in notions of symbiosis, sustainability, and holistic management practices. There is a fair amount of debate surrounding the definition of the term in the academic world as well. For example, "[ecological integrity] has a high degree of linguistic elasticity and should there ever be

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564-697: Is responsible for the agency, and it is managed by its chief executive officer (Ron Hallman since 2019). The agency's budget was $ 1.3 billion in the 2020–2021 fiscal year and it employed 4,666 public servants in March 2021. Parks Canada was established on May 19, 1911, as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the Interior , becoming the world's first national park service. Since its creation, its name has changed, known variously as

611-399: Is a notable improvement, considering that in 2000, 54 per cent of parks were suffering some form of major or severe ecological stresses. In 2018, there are 12 ecosystems rated as poor, 20 EI indicators in decline, particularly forests and freshwater environments. Overall, this improvement is a testament to what Parks Canada Agency's ecological integrity monitoring program is capable of. Parka,

658-676: Is based on three publications: Monitoring and Reporting Ecological Integrity in Canada’s National Parks Volume I: Guiding Principles (2005) and the compendium document, Volume 2: A Park-Level Guide to Establishing EI Monitoring (2007) , Consolidated Guidelines for Ecological Integrity Monitoring in Canada’s National Parks (2011). The most recent iteration of guidelines for ecological integrity monitoring, Consolidated Guidelines for Ecological Integrity Monitoring in Canada’s National Parks (2011) ,

705-413: Is significantly more robust and science based. Some of the notable improvements include the integration of a trend variable designed to demonstrate whether the indicator is deteriorating, stable or improving. In addition, the inclusion of quantitative thresholds to determine the state of indicator will allow for more accurate results. Lastly, the incorporation of an “ Iceberg Model for EI Indicator ” provides

752-715: The Rocky Mountains Park Act established the first distinctive national parks legislation in Canada and provided for the creation of the country's first national park, Rocky Mountain Park (now Banff National Park ). Lobbied heavily for by the Canadian Pacific Railway , the Act outlined the national parks model which balanced conservation as well as development. The Act established the management of

799-491: The Act . In May 2012, it was reported that Park Wardens may be cross designated to enforce certain wildlife acts administered by Environment Canada . Should the designations go ahead it would only be for Park Wardens that are stationed near existing migratory bird sanctuaries. Essentially the intent of the change is to allow for a faster and lower-cost response to environmental enforcement incidents, particularly in remote areas in

846-576: The Agency’s Guide to Management Planning in 2008 to restructure the agency and ensure that this new integrated approach could be applied to all national parks. With these changes, Parks Canada formally began monitoring for ecological integrity in 2008 and is ongoing to date. These modifications are consistent with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada ’s observations in the 2005 report of

893-465: The Canada National Parks Act as Park Wardens and are peace officers as defined by the Criminal Code . They carry firearms and non-lethal intervention options. The minister may also designate provincial and local enforcement officers under section 19 of the Act for the purpose of enforcing laws within the specified parks. These officers have the power of peace officers only in relation to

940-456: The Canada National Parks Act continues to apply the historic dualism between development and conservation by dedicating the national parks to "the people of Canada for their benefit, education and enjoyment" (2000, c.32, s.4). The Act enables Parks Canada to designate and maintain national parks and national park reserves. Within these, additional wilderness areas may be designated. Natural resources in protected areas are dedicated to

987-590: The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development . For example, “The 6 to 8 ecological integrity indicators for each national park measure the health of Canada's national parks by reporting on the indicator’s condition and trend (improving, stable or declining) over time”. This ecological integrity monitoring program summarizes the state of a park's ecological integrity using “good, fair, poor”. Parks Canada's ecological integrity monitoring program

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1034-644: The Stoney Nakoda First Nation from the parklands where they had previously hunted and travelled. Similarly in 1907, with the creation of Jasper National Park , Métis families who had been living in the area were suddenly declared "squatters". The Rocky Mountains Park Act (1887) explicitly stated the provision by which people could be removed from the land. Sections 3 and 4 of the Rocky Mountains Act stated that "no person shall locate, settle upon, use or occupy any portion of

1081-474: The "benefit, education and enjoyment" of the people of Canada. Development in the national parks has to be authorized by Parks Canada, subject to the provisions of this Act . National park reserves are defined as protected areas that have not yet been brought under federal jurisdiction due to outstanding matters (such as aboriginal rights). The Canada National Parks Act applies to park reserves as if they were parks apart from sections 40 to 41.4 which stipulate

1128-427: The Act, Mitigation of Environmental Damage, implements the legal requirement of anyone who is responsible for environmental damage within a park to take measures to prevent environmental degradation and danger to flora and fauna. If the responsible person does not comply, they are liable for the expenses of those measures which would be performed by the federal government. Despite this commitment to ecological protection,

1175-498: The Agency on conservation within parks with special attention to protecting ecological integrity and implementing more science-based decision-making. A 2018 study by Environment and Climate Change Canada , found that, of 118 ecosystems assessed in 42 of the national parks, the majority of park ecosystems are in stable condition although freshwater and tundra ecosystems are experiencing the highest rates of poor ecological integrity with

1222-674: The Dominion Parks Branch, National Parks Branch, Parks Canada, Environment Canada – Parks Branch, and the Canadian Parks Service, before a return to Parks Canada in 1998. The service's activities are regulated under legislation such as the Canada National Parks Act , and the Parks Canada Agency Act , which established the current legal incorporation of the agency in 1998. To mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, Parks Canada offered free passes to national parks and national historic sites for

1269-553: The Park report was designed to ensure accountability in the management structure of Parks Canada Agency. In the author’s words, “The State of the Park report is the accountability mechanism for Field Unit Superintendents to report to the CEO on achieving the Agency’s Corporate Plan performance expectations related to maintaining and improving ecological integrity ”. In addition to this reform, Parks Canada also updated and released

1316-442: The assessment of 118 ecosystems throughout 42 national parks across Canada. Parks Canada Agency claims that 68 per cent of parks sampled are in good condition, 20 per cent fair, 17 per cent poor. Furthermore, of the 118 ecosystems sampled, 69 per cent are stable, 19.5 per cent are improving and 12 per cent are declining, according to Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Ecological integrity of national parks (2018) . This

1363-416: The composition and abundance of native species and biological communities, rates of change and supporting processes". This means that ecosystems are considered to have ecological integrity when their native components, such as physical elements, biodiversity and ecosystem processes, are intact. In their 2016 Parks Report, the environmental organization, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) , raised

1410-686: The course of its history, the predecessor National Parks Act struggled to define the primary intention of national parks by trying to balance parks as places both of conservation and public leisure. Remarks made by the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change in 2018 signalled a renewed commitment by the Parks Canada agency to ecological conservation within national parks. Early legislation in Canada applied exclusionary policies and forcibly removed Indigenous peoples off lands in order to create national parks. With developments in

1457-552: The early 1970s, Parks Canada has adopted more inclusive policies in the development of new national parks. Many of the changes within Parks Canada has been driven by legal precedent in Canada regarding Aboriginal title to land. The landmark Calder Case which eventually led to the development of the federal government's Comprehensive land claim process in particular pushed the Parks Canada Agency to enhance their relationship with Indigenous people in Canada . The introduction of

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1504-525: The ecological integrity of all national parks . To cite section 8 (2): “Maintenance or restoration of ecological integrity through the protection of natural resources and natural processes, shall be the first priority of the Minister when considering all aspects of the management of park ” ( Canada National Parks Act, 2000 ) . This law put additional onus on Parks Canada Agency to implement a robust science-based conservation and monitoring program. Following

1551-513: The enjoyment of future generations.” Such phrasing in the Act has led to it being recognized as the foundation upon which subsequent ecological protection within national parks has been based. However, economic development remained a prominent role of parks. The Canada National Parks Act , which received royal assent in 2000, applies the strongest conservation language to date making the maintenance and restoration of ecological integrity within national parks its number one priority. Section 32 of

1598-499: The first national park reserves by Parks Canada in 1972 signalled a shift in the agency's idea of Aboriginal rights within national parks. In 1974, the National Parks Act was further amended to include provisions for traditional hunting and fishing within national park reserves. This was the first time that Parks Canada had adopted the concept of cultural landscapes and park reserves became a new concept as land set out for

1645-465: The jurisdiction of the Department of Canadian Heritage , where it had been since 1994. From 1979 to 1994, Parks Canada was part of the Department of Environment, and before it was part of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (1966 to 1978), and the Department of the Interior. With the organizational shifts and political leadership in Canada, the priorities of Parks Canada have shifted over

1692-487: The legal recognition of Aboriginal title and rights in Canada, provisions have been included within the National Parks Act to extend the right of traditional harvesting activities within national park reserves with some cases altering park management to be shared between the Parks Canada agency and local Indigenous groups. Greatly inspired by the creation of Yellowstone National Park in the United States in 1872,

1739-433: The maintenance or restoration of ecological integrity of national parks as the main priority for the Parks Canada Agency (though some have questioned Parks Canada's commitment to this pledge). According to the Canada National Parks Act , ecological integrity within a national park is defined as "a condition that is determined to be characteristic of its natural region and likely to persist, including abiotic components and

1786-421: The most significant results of the Act was that it created the Dominion Parks Branch as a new branch of the Department of the Interior to oversee the administration of federal parks. Incidentally the Dominion Parks Branch was the first national parks service in the world to be established and James Bernard Harkin was made its first commissioner. Inspired by American environmentalist, John Muir , Harkin oversaw

1833-409: The north where Environment Canada does not have an ongoing presence, but Parks Canada has a Park Warden nearby who could act on its behalf, rather than have Environment Canada responded from a farther office. According to Panel on Ecological Integrity Report in 2000 , "the idea of conserving nature unimpaired has been part of national parks’ legal mandate since 1930". The term “ecological integrity”

1880-597: The number of parks in Canada triple (from 6–18). Arising from years of dissatisfaction from Commissioner Harkin and his administration, the National Parks Act , which was implemented in 1930, replaced the administration of the national parks from the Dominion Forest Reserves and Parks Act . Unlike in earlier legislation, the general purpose section (section 4) of the National Parks Act (1930) stated that national parks are spaces of nature to “be maintained and made use of so as to leave them unimpaired for

1927-625: The park and its resources to be under the authority of the Minister of the Interior and the Governor in Council. The Rocky Mountains Park Act also prohibited the settlement or occupation of any of the park’s area, giving the Minister of the Interior and Governor in Council the right to remove trespassers. Passed by the government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier , the Dominion Forest Reserves and Parks Act received royal assent on May 19, 1911. One of

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1974-451: The publication of the Panel on Ecological Integrity Report in 2000, Parks Canada Agency released Status on Agency Progress since First Priority in 2008 as a response. One major stride mentioned is the implementation of a policy requirement for national parks to report on the state of ecological integrity every five years, summarizing reports from monitoring programs in place. This State of

2021-435: The right of Aboriginal people to practice traditional renewable resource harvesting activities within the park reserve boundaries. In 1972, Kluane National Park Reserve and Nahanni National Park Reserve became the first areas to be established as park reserves. The park reserves share management of the land between Parks Canada and local First Nations. Wilderness areas are lands within national parks, that are found in

2068-447: The said public park" and gave the Minister of the Interior and Governor in Council the right to make regulations for "the removal and exclusion of trespassers". While these policies of forcible removal of Indigenous people on park lands were practised under the name of conservation, the government of Canada was simultaneously building permanent towns within parks to house tourists in early national parks such as Banff and Jasper. Since

2115-486: The title National Parks Act . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Parks_Act&oldid=874371130 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages National Parks Act (Canada) Over

2162-416: The year. Park Wardens protect natural and cultural resources by conducting patrols of National Parks, National Historic sites and National Marine Conservation Areas. They ensure the safety of staff, visitors and residents, and conduct strategic enforcement activities aimed at public peace maintenance, resource protection, visitor enjoyment and administrative compliance. They are designated under section 18 of

2209-469: Was put into the 1988 amendments to the National Parks Act but was in park policy as early as 1979. The Panel on Ecological Integrity Report proposed the following definition: "An ecosystem has integrity when it is deemed characteristic for its natural region, including the composition and abundance of native species and biological communities, rates of change and supporting processes ". There is

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