Our Great Lakes

Parks Canada Agency

Parks Canada's mandate is the protection and presentation of nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage and to foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations. National Parks are a country-wide system of representative natural areas of Canadian significance.

They are protected by law for public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment, while maintained in an unimpaired state for future generations. Currently, there are 39 national parks and national park reserves in every province and territory, including the Great Lakes Basin. The immense variety of the Great Lakes is represented by five national parks located around the basin. These include:

Site - Natural Region Represented

1. Bruce Peninsula National Park - West St.Lawrence Lowlands
2. Georgian Bay Islands National Park - Canadian Shield - Great Lakes St.Lawrence - West St.Lawrence Lowlands
3. Point Pelee National Park - West St.Lawrence Lowlands
4. Pukaskwa National Park - Canadian Shield - Central Boreal Uplands
5. St.Lawrence Islands National Park - Canadian Shield - Great Lakes St.Lawrence

The National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA)system is relatively young compared to the national park system. It divides Canada's oceans and Great Lakes into a separate family of 29 regions, each one a distinct combination of physical and biological characteristics. Parks Canada is working to establish marine conservation areas that represent each of these regions. To date, four of the 29 regions are represented or covered by federal-provincial agreements. One of these four regions is in Ontario, and work is continuing toward the proposed establishment of an NMCA in a second region in Ontario (Lake Superior).

Site - Marine Natural Region Represented

Fathom Five National Marine Park - Great Lakes - Georgian Bay

National Marine Conservation Areas

The nature of marine ecosystems is fundamentally different from terrestrial environments, and human use in coastal regions has always been high. This means that instead of trying to protect marine ecosystems in a state essentially unaltered by human activity, national marine conservation areas focus on ecologically sustainable use. The success of this concept hinges on two factors: protection and cooperation. Protection means the setting aside of certain zones, containing significant and vulnerable ecosystem components for protection purposes. The designation of these zones recognizes their importance for ecological research, environmental monitoring and conservation, as well as their potential for non-consumptive recreational use and public education. Cooperation depends on the commitment of various government agencies, non-government groups and affected users to working together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the marine ecosystems. This involves developing a better understanding of the various activities and their impact on marine ecosystems, and seeking solutions (both terrestrial and marine) to mitigate the effects of the activities both within and beyond the boundaries of the marine conservation area.

Ensuring Ecological Integrity with Canada's National Parks and Conserving Canada's National Marine Conservation Areas

Protection - ensuring ecological integrity in national parks and achieving conservation objectives in national marine conservation areas - is at the heart of Parks Canada's mandate. For national parks to continue protecting Canada's wild places, their ecological integrity must remain intact - meaning that the structure, functions and processes of the ecosystems characteristic of the park's natural region are likely to persist.

To fulfil its responsibilities in national parks, Parks Canada has adopted a system known as "ecosystem-based management". This requires an understanding of the human and naturally induced stresses that affect the ecosystem, and a recognition that the ecosystem is constantly changing. An adaptive management strategy is applied to address ecosystem management issues. Ecosystems don't have boundaries as much as elastic horizons that span time and issues. This larger view is called the "Greater Park Ecosystem" and requires ecosystem management to be far-reaching and have a broad base of support to work well. It requires particular understanding and collaboration among all whose activities influence the wildlife and ecological integrity of the park - from neighbouring landowners and businesses to park visitors.

Canada Marine Discovery Centre

The Canada Marine Discovery Centre located on Hamilton Harbor and scheduled to open in 2003, will connect Canadians to their heritage by demonstrating the diversity of our natural environments and of our history. The Centre will inspire visitors to understand the importance of marine conservation. Innovative, hands-on exhibits and programs will focus on the physical, biological and cultural aspects of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem, along with the environmental issues facing this area.

Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area Initiative

In June 2000, a regional advisory committee comprised of north shore residents advised the Federal Government that there was support for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area initiative. This follows four years of extensive consultation, discussion and debate with north shore communities, First Nations, users and stakeholders. The area under discussion extends from Sleeping Giant in the west to Bottle Point in the east. The area encompasses over 10 000 km2 of seabed and overlaying waters, and 60 km2 of islands and mainland.

As partners in delivering the Government of Canada's Great Lakes Action Plan, the Parks Canada Agency contributes through the preservation and conservation of ecological integrity in and around its parks in the basin, with its partners and stakeholders. These actions contribute to the overall management of the health of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.