Message from the Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

This Web site is a gateway to the natural and cultural wonders of Canada. It is your online link to the national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas of Canada, and to the tremendous opportunities they offer all Canadians to enjoy memorable heritage experiences.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to this site and to wish you an enjoyable visit. As I meet with Canadians across the country, it is clear that you share my passion for our national heritage places and that they hold a special place in your hearts. It is also clear that you appreciate the important link between the health of our national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas and the health of our nation. These special places contribute in both tangible and intangible ways to our quality of life, our economic well-being, the preservation of our environment and our understanding of Canada.

This same passion and understanding guides Parks Canada’s work. It is at the heart of the Agency’s mandate to preserve our national heritage places, and to offer Canadians unique opportunities to experience them. I am delighted to be part of this effort.

Visiting this Web site, you will be able to get a feel for what life was like in the early days of our nation, view scenes of incredible beauty, embark on a virtual tour of some remarkable heritage places, and find out more about everything that is on offer at Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservations areas. You can learn about the Historic Places Initiative, and our work to build a culture of heritage conservation in Canada. You can gain a better appreciation of ecological and commemorative integrity, and of the important work Parks Canada is undertaking in this area.

Above all else, as you visit this site I hope you will be inspired to get personally involved in the work to preserve Canada’s national heritage places for future generations. So that they will always exist for the children of today and tomorrow to experience and enjoy.

Together, we can ensure future generations share our passion for the national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas of Canada, and that these special places will continue to contribute to the health of Canadians, and to the health of our great nation for centuries to come.

The Honourable Rona Ambrose