History of establishment
Qausuittuq National Park
In 2015, Qausuittuq National Park was formally established under the Canada National Parks Act, becoming the nation’s 45th national park. The park was established as part of Parks Canada’s goal to complete Canada’s National Parks System Plan. The plan divides Canada into 39 natural regions, and Northern Bathurst Island was identified as having representative characteristics of the Western High Arctic Natural Region.
Qausuittuq National Park also holds natural and cultural importance. The park encompasses key wildlife habitat including travel routes, calving grounds and wintering grounds for Peary caribou, listed as threatened under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
Park establishment timeline
1994 | The national park proposal on Bathurst Island is first discussed with the Resolute Hunters and Trappers Organization.
1995 | A number of park feasibility studies about the Bathurst Island area begin in 1995 and conclude in 2001. The studies look at mineral and energy resources, archaeology, wildlife and traditional knowledge.
The Mineral and Energy Resource Assessment, completed in 1999, shows high potential for mineral and hydrocarbons in the eastern part of the proposed park study area. This high potential area overlaps with significant Peary caribou calving habitat.
1996 | The first Interim Land Withdrawal for the proposed national park study area is approved. The withdrawal is renewed in 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2014.
2002 | The Government of Canada proposes a park boundary for negotiation with Inuit. Further progress on establishing this proposed national park was delayed for several years for a range of reasons unrelated to the national park itself.
2009 | The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) and Parks Canada resume work on the national park proposal. The QIA is the organization designated to negotiate an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement (IIBA) and a park boundary on behalf of the Inuit of the Qikiqtaaluk (Baffin) Region of Nunavut.
2010 | Negotiation of an IIBA between Parks Canada and QIA begins in Iqaluit. Parks Canada holds community information sessions in Resolute and organizes a field trip for community members to Bathurst Island.
2015 | The IIBA for Qausuittuq National Park is signed and comes into effect on April 1, 2015. September 1, 2015, Qausuittuq National Park is legislated through an amendment to the Canada National Parks Act.
2017 | In August, the minister responsible for Parks Canada officially opened Qausuittuq National Park at a ceremony in Resolute, Nunavut.
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