Plans and policies

“Those that have never seen Superior get an inadequate, even inaccurate idea, by hearing of it spoken of as a ‘lake’, and to those who have sailed over its vast extent the words sound ludicrous. Though the waters are fresh and crystal, Superior is a sea. It is cold in mid-summer as the Atlantic. It is wild, masterful...”

The Reverend George M. Grant, Sir Sanford Fleming’s Expedition through Canada, 1892.

The Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area of Canada is the largest freshwater protected area in the world. In “flat calm” sailing conditions, motorized travel time from Terrace Bay at the eastern end of the NMCA to Silver Islet in the west can be seven and a half hours. Vessels experiencing three foot swells during this crossing may need to plan for a trip of double the time. This dramatic setting of untamed water, rugged coast and vast natural resources has shaped human use and settlement for millennia, and is now formally recognized through Parks Canada’s stewardship of Canada’s first national marine conservation area.

Parks Canada works to foster Canadians’ sense of connection to their national marine conservation areas, national parks and national historic sites and by holding in trust a world-renowned system of heritage areas for the enjoyment of all. By establishing marine conservation areas such as the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA), new places are protected and conserved, additional opportunities are created for Canadians to connect with these places, and Parks Canada expands its reach in facilitating meaningful experiences, public appreciation and understanding. The management and ecologically sustainable use of this vast area will ensure its conservation for the enjoyment and appreciation of present and future generations of Canadians.