Develop Parks Canada services so that more Canadians can experience our National Parks.

What success looks like

More Canadians visit and experience Parks Canada administered sites and the Trans Canada Trail is completed.

Government's narrative on progress

In 2017-18 more than 27 million visitors were welcomed to Canada’s heritage places administered by Parks Canada, including more than 16.8 million visitors to national parks – a 9% increase from visitation to national parks in 2016-17. The government has taken steps to make sites more accessible and to improve overall visitor experiences by investing approximately $3.6 billion over five years, including an additional $364 million announced in Budget 2017 to renew infrastructure assets. Parks Canada is delivering almost 1,000 separate infrastructure projects across the country. To date, the Agency has spent $2.3 billion of the $3.6 billion allocated funding. The balance of remaining funds is fully allocated to the continued delivery of the program of work through additional priority projects being undertaken to improve existing built assets under Parks Canada’s care across the country. In Budget 2019, the government reiterated its continuing commitment to investing in national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. Specifically, Budget 2019 announced funding of up to $143 million and $224 million in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively, for supporting capital assets in Canada's national parks, conservation areas and historic sites. This funding will allow Parks Canada to continue to restore or replace deteriorating assets to ensure that Canadians can continue to enjoy Canada's heritage places. In September 2018 the government announced a $30 million contribution over four years to enhance and maintain the Great Trail (formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail). This funding will improve trail safety, accessibility, and sustainability. Since completion in 2017, the Trail provides 24,000 km of recreational trails within 30 minutes of about 29 million Canadians. The government is working with Indigenous peoples and stakeholders to improve interpretation and heritage programming and make sites more accessible. In January 2018 Parks Canada entered into a four-year contribution agreement with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) with the goal of enhancing and growing authentic Indigenous experiences in regions across the country.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.