Protected Areas Backgrounder

Canada's Nature Treasures 

Canada has a wealth of wildlife, forests, and water. Our rich natural heritage is recognized around the world and contributes to the quality of life that Canadians enjoy.  Aboriginal people enjoy a sacred relationship with nature, and Canadians view nature as part of our national identity.  It helps define Canada as a nation.

Protecting this natural legacy for future generations of Canadians is a critical but challenging task.  Our growing network of National Parks protects many of our natural treasures.  Stewardship measures help conserve and protect nature, and active partnerships with many organizations ensure that Canada's vast stretches of wilderness remain unspoiled. 

Canada also has many programs to protect habitat and species at risk. These are complemented by the new Species at Risk Act, which gives Canadians another tool to help conserve and protect nature. 

To protect our rich natural legacy, we must all work together. 

Our Protected areas

Canada's wilderness contains some of the most vital habitats in North America.  They include critical habitat for species at risk, and some highly fragmented landscapes. Some 20 per cent of the world's remaining natural areas are located in Canada, along with nine per cent of the world's freshwater and 15 per cent of its forests.  Protecting these spaces and their unique features is essential to the survival of biodiversity in many parts of Canada.  

Canada has a long history of establishing protected areas.   Banff, Canada's first National Park, was established in 1885.  North America's first wildfowl sanctuary was created in 1887 at Last Mountain Lake in Saskatchewan.  Currently, about eight per cent of Canada, or about 80 million hectares, enjoys some kind of protection.  

Since 1992, over 24 million hectares - an area about the size of the United Kingdom - have been added to federal, provincial and territorial systems of protected areas.  Sites range from small woodlots in southern Canada to huge wilderness areas in northern regions.   The National Parks system continues to grow with the announcement of new Parks and National Marine Conservation Areas. 

National Wildlife Areas 

Environment Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service operate a network of 143 national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries across Canada. This network contains some of the most vital migratory bird habitat in Canada, and critical habitat for species at risk. In many cases, these are often the last remaining natural ecosystem components, like the sand dune and mixed prairie habitat at CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area, home to 14 species at risk in Canada, including the Burrowing Owl and the Ferruginous Hawk.  Covering 11.9 million hectares, the size of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick combined, national wildlife areas make up the second largest network of protected areas in Canada, after the National Parks system. 

No one government or department can work alone to protect the wildlife and natural habitats that Canadians treasure so dearly.  Interdepartmental, intergovernmental, multi-sector and international cooperation is essential.  Many organizations, both public and private, make important contributions. Their commitment is encouraging. 

The recently approved CFB Suffield National Wildlife area is an excellent example of how government departments can work together to develop cost-effective conservation agreements to protect significant areas of wildlife habitat.  Located in southern Alberta, the CFB Suffield NWA provides long-term security for the last large piece of unploughed prairie grassland in prairie Canada.