Nationwide City Parks (NUPs) are an effective way for Canadians to expertise the outside in their very own neighbourhood whereas additionally conserving our cities cool and making them extra resilient to local weather change. They’ve further advantages like offering habitat for migratory birds and act as vital sponges for main rain occasions.
The Nationwide City Parks are nice as a result of they:
- Preserve nature by defending very important ecosystems and biodiversity inside city settings.
- Join folks with nature by offering the bodily and psychological advantages of tenting, mountaineering, and different nature appreciation actions near house.
- Advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples by integrating Indigenous information and values into the administration and use of those lands.
May you profit from extra close by nature?
Canada’s Dedication
Following the institution of Canada’s first Nationwide City Park alongside the Rouge River in Toronto, Parks Canada and mayors from throughout Canada joined collectively in 2021 to rejoice nature within the metropolis by committing $130 million to a Nationwide City Park technique. Six new websites had been recognized at the moment to be established as Nationwide City Parks: Edmonton, Halifax, Saskatoon, Victoria, Windsor, and Winnipeg.
To be able to make nature extra accessible to the 30 million Canadians who reside in city areas, the objective is to ascertain these six parks by 2025 and to succeed in 15 by 2030. For the reason that announcement, a number of parks have moved alongside the trail to institution, however there’s nonetheless numerous work to be executed to attain this goal. Creating 15 websites would require funding for Parks Canada to develop modern options with everybody who must be concerned. From naturalists, to metropolis planners, to Indigenous rights-holders, to companies, it takes loads of native legwork to ascertain and handle a Nationwide City Park.
That’s why Nature Canada is looking for extra sources to help the Nationwide City Parks technique and dealing by means of our Nature Community companions to get the best voices across the planning tables.
Fingers up in order for you Canada’s subsequent Nationwide City Park in a metropolis close to you!
From Guarantees to Parks: Challenges in establishing new Nationwide City Parks
Establishing a brand new nationwide park, together with these in city areas, typically has 4 steps:
- Pre-feasibility
- Planning
- Designation
- Implementation
You possibly can be taught extra concerning the course of right here.
Every of those steps require time to make sure that robust relationships are constructed with companions and that the general public is consulted alongside the best way. And concrete parks contain extra companions, extra members of the general public, and extra complicated points over land use.
Differing views on priorities, boundaries, and growth can generally be a supply of stress on these lands. However Canadians worth nature as a part of our identification and are dedicated to balancing the wants of our city landscapes and the competing pressures of enterprise, trade, and housing with out sacrificing nature. Nationwide City Parks are a method that communities can begin to think about how they will play a job in defending and restoring Canada’s pure landscapes.
Funding this program is essential. Whereas the preliminary funding of $130M demonstrated the federal government’s dedication to this work, Nationwide City Parks are complicated, and negotiations are anticipated to take time because the partnership mannequin is new for lots of the teams concerned. A number of parks are near being executed, however want further funds to finish the feasibility or planning phases. Moreover, with rising inflation, prices for working a park have elevated considerably and the unique cash is not sufficient for what went from an bold objective of six NUPs by 2025 to fifteen NUP by 2030.
For the Nationwide City Park technique to really thrive, it can want sturdy funding to gasoline the collaborative planning processes that may drive success!
Proof of Success
Rouge Nationwide City Park
Canada’s first Nationwide City Park was established in 2019. Rouge NUP is positioned in Canada’s largest metropolis and supplies the one city campground in Toronto. Rouge Park was initially established as a partnership between the province of Ontario and the municipalities of Toronto, Pickering, and Markham in 1995, and Parks Canada turned concerned about rising the park space in 2011. Over the subsequent 8 years, extra land was acquired and the park grew to only over 40km2 or 4000 hectares. The Rouge Nationwide City Park First Nations Advisory Circle contains 10 native First Nations who’ve been concerned within the institution and operations of the park. Along with Parks Canada, they’ve launched into initiatives to revive landscapes, discover the archeological historical past of the location, and plan customer expertise initiatives. Lastly, Rouge is house to over 1700 species, together with 42 species in danger together with Monarch Butterflies, Blanding’s Turtles, and Chimney Swifts.
Ojibway Nationwide City Park
In 2021, Parks Canada launched into the pathway to establishing a brand new Nationwide City Park in Windsor, Ontario. Ojibway Nationwide City Park was arrange in partnership with Caldwell First Nation, Walpole Island First Nation, Metropolis of Windsor, City of LaSalle, Parks Canada, Province of Ontario, and Hydro One to guard a number of the most threatened ecosystems in Canada together with uncommon Carolinian Zone Tallgrass Prairie and Black Oak Savannah. In 2024, further funding to ascertain and function Ojibway NUP was introduced. Teams like Mates of Ojibway Prairie present vital academic alternatives to boost public consciousness and get native communities enthusiastic about Nationwide City Parks.
In-Progress: Halifax Nationwide City Park
One of many Nationwide City Parks that’s coming quickly is throughout the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Space in Halifax. In 2022, a partnership group was shaped with Parks Canada, Halifax Regional Municipality, Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (a Mi’kmaq rights group), Nova Scotia Nature Belief, Province of Nova Scotia, and Sipekne’katik First Nation.
Collectively, this group has superior the proposed website of over 2,000 hectares to the planning section. Mi’kmaw companions have been an vital a part of the co-development of the engagement strategy with Parks Canada. Past offering biodiversity safety and alternatives for folks to take pleasure in nature, the Halifax Nationwide City Park can even be a spot for conversations across the rights and pursuits of the Mi’kmaq in Nova Scotia.
Add your identify to point out your help for Nationwide City Parks like Halifax and different city nature safety initiatives.
Sure, in my yard! Let’s get a Nationwide City Park for all Canada’s cities!
