Parks Canada’s Interim National Urban Parks Policy Now Available

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to share that Parks Canada’s Interim National Urban Parks Policy is now available on our website. This policy marks a major milestone for Parks Canada, as it provides a framework for the designation and management of new national urban parks across Canada.

I want to acknowledge and thank the National Urban Parks team, all Parks Canada team members who supported and contributed to this effort, and the over 2,500 individuals and organizations from across the country who participated in the extensive engagement process that helped shape this interim policy.

The National Urban Parks Program builds on the growing awareness of the vital role green spaces play in urban centres. In Canada, they have tremendous potential to connect people with nature, support physical and mental health, reverse biodiversity loss, advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and contribute to conservation and nature-based climate resilience. 

National urban parks enable Parks Canada to engage urban Canadians in new ways, closer to where they live, in collaboration with the multi-jurisdictional partners involved in their designation. These parks will also create new spaces that support Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship efforts aligned with Indigenous systems of laws and knowledge, languages, cultures, and worldviews. 

This is an exciting moment in the development of this new program within Parks Canada, and I invite each of you to take the time to read the policy and how it will shape the appreciation and conservation of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations.

Ron Hallman

President & CEO

#ParksCanadaProud