Ecological protection

Government of Canada strengthens Rouge National Urban Park ecological protection and provides long-term certainty for park farmers

The Government of Canada has taken an important step towards completing the establishment of Rouge National Urban Park – Canada’s first national urban park, which is within an hour’s reach of 7 million Canadians.

On June 9, 2016, the Government of Canada tabled amendments to the Rouge National Urban Park Act that will protect the Rouge’s important ecosystems and heritage as well as ensure that the ecological integrity of the park is the first priority in the park’s management.

The amendments also provide greater certainty for park farmers. One-year leases will be replaced with leases of up to 30 years to ensure long-term stability for park farmers and their families—some of whom have been farming in the Rouge Valley since 1799. Farmers can continue carrying out agricultural activities within the park and providing an important source of locally-grown food to the Greater Toronto Area.