Habitat Conservation - Environment Canada's Protected Areas Network

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protects some 11.8 million hectares, an area more than twice the size of Nova Scotia
contains a wide diversity of habitat of national and even international importance
safeguards 1.5 million hectares of Canada's aquatic habitat

Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) identifies nationally important wildlife habitat whose loss would have a direct impact on the Canadian population of one or more wild species. Environment Canada works closely with other federal agencies, provincial and territorial governments, Aboriginal peoples, private organizations, and individuals to ensure that nationally important areas are protected as:

National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) (51 sites)
Migratory Bird Sanctuaires (MBSs) (92 sites)
Marine Wildlife Areas (MWAs) (1 site proposed)

Some conservation areas have onsite facilities to view wildlife. However, many of these areas are managed for wild species only, excluding people intentionally. In some cases, CWS prohibits visitors during critical periods, such as when birds are nesting or moulting (the losing and replacing of all or part of their feathers each year). Other NWAs and MBSs are closed to the public seasonally or permanently for numerous reasons, including geographical inaccessibility and wildlife preservation.

There is more information on the protected areas in the Hinterland Who's Who fact sheet Environment Canada's Protected Areas Network.