Benefits of national urban parks

New tools to enhance protection

The designation of a national urban park provides new tools to enhance protection of that special place through:

  • legally binding agreements: A formal designation agreement between Parks Canada and the land administrator(s), and where desired, rightsholders, committing the signatories to ensuring environmental protections are not weakened or removed;
  • mandatory conservation standards: For a site to maintain its national urban park status, part or all of it must be recognized in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database. This requires the land to meet international criteria for long-term nature conservation;
  • public accountability: Designation agreements (in whole or in the form of a summary), progress reports and management plans are made publicly available

An investment for the future

National urban parks: 

  • create jobs related to infrastructure, services, recreation, and tourism 
  • create opportunities for local businesses, through park-related programming and services 
  • attract tourism dollars from the region, across Canada, and around the world 
  • draw people to greener urban centres by making them more attractive places to visit, live in and work 

By taking a partnership approach to designating new national urban parks, Parks Canada is supporting Indigenous governments, municipalities, provinces, and non-governmental organizations to conserve nature, connect people to nature, and advance reconciliation in urban centres.  

With this approach, land administrators keep control of their land. They also gain from working with Parks Canada and other groups focused on these common goals. 

Economic impact of Parks Canada

 In 2023 to 2024, places administered by Parks Canada: 

  • supported over 51,500 full-time equivalent jobs 
  • generated $4.5 billion in visitor spending
  • contributed $5.6 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP), including:
    • $3.5 billion in labour income
    • $664 million in tax revenue for municipal, provincial/territorial, and federal governments 

Source: Economic impact of Parks Canada, 2023 to 2024 

An investment in healthier communities

The National Urban Parks Program contributes to Target 12 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to enhance green spaces and urban planning for human well-being and biodiversity to help improve cities. 

National urban parks enhance urban greenspaces, where people can connect with nature. Time spent in nature improves mental and physical health and wellbeing. 

In response to a 2024 survey by ParkPeople, 95% of residents of Canadian cities said that parks have had a positive impact on their physical health, and 93% said it had a positive impact on their mental health.  

Urban parks:

  • contribute to cleaner air and water 
  • support flood management 
  • reduce pollution and noise 
  • help cool temperatures in urban centers 
  • help reduce healthcare needs and associated costs 
  • increase opportunities for people to enjoy the health benefits of spending time in nature 

Nature prescriptions 

Parks Canada is proud to partner with the BC Parks Foundation on PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program

  • PaRx is grounded in decades of research showing that spending time in nature has a powerful, positive impact on our health. 
  • For example, studies show that spending time in nature lowers the risks of stress, diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease and stroke 

Conservation and climate resilience

In contributing to Target 12 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, national urban parks support Canada’s major cities in developing local solutions to halting and reversing nature loss, and to adapting to climate change.   

All or part of the lands included in national urban parks must be designated as protected areas or other effective area-based conservation measures. This requirement: 

  • establishes enduring protections for natural areas that otherwise could be impacted by urban activities 
  • ensures that objectives to connect people with nature and advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples remain important in these spaces 

As significant natural areas in urban settings, national urban parks help: 

  • mitigate threats to infrastructure from extreme weather events 
  • support storm water management and soil quality 
  • help sequester carbon  

Urban green spaces improve environmental health 

Hundreds of studies have found that urban green spaces help improve air quality, moderate extreme weather events, and regulate the local climate. 

Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

Parks Canada is committed to nation-to-nation and government to government relationships and is engaging with local Indigenous governments, communities, and organizations at each candidate national urban park. 

The designation of national urban parks creates: 

  • opportunities to advance Indigenous leadership and stewardship 
  • inclusive and culturally-supportive spaces for Indigenous peoples in urban areas 

National urban parks: 

  • reflect and celebrate Indigenous knowledge, history, and culture 
  • foster economic benefits for Indigenous peoples, including opportunities for Indigenous tourism and other businesses 

Indigenous Leadership in National Urban Parks

The Interim National Parks Policy commits to making sure that designated parks honor Indigenous peoples' rights and responsibilities. This approach strengthens their ties to lands and waters, helping create a sense of place. It also promotes local Indigenous voices, stories, cultural practices, ceremonies, languages, and more. 

Accessible and inclusive spaces 

National urban parks are vital for building welcoming and inclusive communities. They provide spaces for everyone to connect with nature, learn about heritage, and enjoy the outdoors. 

Designated national urban parks will offer programs, services, experiences, and facilities based on inclusion principles. They will align with the Accessible Canada Act or similar standards to ensure everyone can enjoy the park. 

Public access to national urban parks 

Public access to national urban parks will be free of charge as per the Interim National Urban Parks Policy.   

  • In some cases, fees may be charged for the use of certain park facilities, parking, installations, and/or programs  
  • National urban parks will be accessible by public transportation or other modes of accessible mass transit services as well as active transportation

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