Parks Canada Agency

Corporate Plan
2008/09 - 2012/13

Minister's Message

John Baird, P.C., M.P.
Minister of the Environment and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada

Our country is filled with natural treasures from coast to coast to coast. As Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada, I am constantly reminded on a daily basis of the special responsibility I share with the hundreds of hard-working Parks Canada employees who help ensure our natural treasures are protected.

Last year, Canadians celebrated the 200^th anniversary of David Thompson’s first crossing of the majestic Rocky Mountains, the 175^th anniversary of the Rideau Canal, the 150^th anniversary of Ottawa’s designation as the capital of Canada and Jasper National Park’s 100^th anniversary.

This year we celebrate together the 400^th anniversary of the establishment of Quebec City, an important event in our shared history.

These events highlight that Canada has a long and proud history of exploration and development, where many have come from around the world to build this great country of ours. These events also highlight that Canada has the oldest parks service in the world.

From coast to coast to coast, in the historic district of Old-Québec, in Atlantic Canada, in the northernmost regions, in the Canadian Rockies as well as in the Prairies, Parks Canada is directly responsible for 42 national parks, three national marine conservation areas and 157 national historic sites, and encourages and supports the owners of more than 900 historic sites. It oversees a total portfolio of assets worth more than $10 billion, and hosts to over 21 million visits a year.

With this Canada-wide family of special places, Parks Canada offers Canadians a myriad of opportunities to discover, enjoy and learn about Canada’s natural wonders and about the places, persons and events that left their mark on our country’s landscape, architecture, culture, economy, population and lifestyle.

I can assure Canadians that Parks Canada offers all of these exceptional experiences in a way that ensures the ecological integrity of the national parks and the commemorative integrity of our national historic sites. We must take care of our priceless natural and cultural assets, and this Corporate Plan spells out how the Government of Canada will do so.

In the recent months, I was proud to announce on behalf of Canada’s government key investments geared at preserving more of our country’s special places, including the establishment of Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, the land withdrawal near East Arm Great Slave Lake, the expansion of Nahanni National Park, and a landmark agreement to work towards permanently protecting and cooperatively managing Sahoyúé - §ehdacho National Historic Site of Canada.

These initiatives demonstrate our Government’s commitment to conservation. I know that Parks Canada’s team of hard-working, dedicated and highly skilled professionals will further protect and enhance a large, complex and extremely valuable nation-wide system of national treasures, on behalf of all Canadians.

In 2008, rapidly changing demographics, world climate, tourism trends and environmental issues challenge Parks Canada to develop and implement strategies to ensure sustainable tourism, take action to ensure the commemorative and ecological integrity of sites and reach out and be relevant to a more diverse audience.

In order to meet these challenges, Parks Canada works hand in hand with Aboriginal, government, community and business partners. Together, we honour and safeguard the natural and cultural features that have defined our country’s destiny and forged our Canadian identity and we ensure their preservation for the benefit of future generations.

For more than a century, Canadians have been protecting their heritage. Our government is proud to generate and foster an even stronger culture of conservation and heritage preservation. In that spirit, the Parks Canada Agency continues working towards making the oldest park service in the world the best park service in the world.

John Baird, P.C., M.P.
Minister of the Environment and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada

< Previous Page  | Table of Contents  | Next Page  >