Senator Rosa Galvez

Gatineau Park: Key to Canada's Climate and Conservation Goals

1.    A cornerstone of Canada’s 2030 climate and conservation goals  

High-quality protection of green spaces is essential to achieve Canada’s target of conserving 30 per cent of land by 2030. Currently, only 7.6 per cent of the Outaouais region and less than 9 per cent of the Ottawa River watershed are protected.

Although Gatineau Park is included in Canada’s and the world’s protected-area databases under the 30×30 framework, its “protection” does not meet the standards for protected areas or other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) for the following reasons:

• Governance issues: The NCC’s authority in conservation and biodiversity is limited; ecological integrity is not prioritized in the NCA, and each action requires a revocable provincial permit from Quebec.
• Undefined boundaries: There are no legislated park limits; current approximate boundaries exist only in the NCC Master Plan.
• No statutory protection: The park’s current “protection” is policy-based rather than enshrined in law.

Because no external body evaluates whether countries meet COP15 30×30 criteria, Canada’s credibility relies on integrity and compliance. Gatineau Park’s weak protection is therefore problematic.

To be included in the 30×30 target, the Greenbelt will need to meet the criteria set out in the decision-support tool to qualify either as a protected area or, more likely in this case, as an Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure (OECM)—either in its entirety or for certain portions within the Greenbelt.

“In November 2018, the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted, at the 14th Conference of the Parties, a definition of an ‘Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure (OECM)’ along with guiding principles, common characteristics, and identification criteria (CBD/COP/DEC/14/8). OECMs are sites outside protected areas that deliver effective and long-term in situ biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity conservation may be the site’s primary objective, a secondary objective of a site managed for other purposes, or an unintended outcome of the way the site is managed.”
(IUCN Global Guidance on OECMs; IUCN Identification Tool for OECMs)

2.    We are losing biodiversity at an accelerating rate in Gatineau Park 

The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife species, including many that are at risk, as well as plant species found nowhere else in Quebec. Approximately 90 plant species and 50 animal species within the park are considered threatened or endangered in Quebec or across Canada.

3.    Protecting Gatineau Park’s ecosystem is vital for regional well-being, stable employment, and climate adaptation and mitigation 

Parks and protected areas are sound investments that strengthen communities across Canada. In 2017–2018 alone, national parks generated approximately 28,000 direct jobs, contributed $2.6 billion to Canada’s GDP, and provided $449 million in tax revenue to the federal government.

Although Gatineau Park is not a national park, it attracts about 2.6 million visitors each year who, according to the NCC, spend $184 million on local goods and services in nearby communities, support approximately 4,828 jobs, and contribute roughly $241 million to the region’s GDP.

4.    The need for strong legislative safeguards for the park’s public lands

Legal protection for Gatineau Park is particularly important given the current status of the federal lands it comprises. Under the National Capital Act, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement (PSPC) has the authority to transfer federal lands by simple Order in Council, without any prior parliamentary review. This mechanism was used recently—such as in the transfer of lands at the Asticou Centre—highlighting the park’s vulnerability to administrative decisions made without public consultation or clear legislative oversight.

While Bill S-229 maintains the ability to transfer lands to other levels of government (for example, to enable public infrastructure projects such as Quebec’s proposed hospital), it introduces essential safeguards for other types of transfers. At present, nothing prevents the federal government from transferring park lands to third parties, offering no assurance of long-term protection.

That is why the bill proposes to make any boundary modification or major land transfer subject to parliamentary review, ensuring democratic oversight over decisions affecting the park. Strengthening the legal framework, accountability, and transparency in the park’s land management is crucial to guarantee that any future changes respect its conservation mission and preserve this shared national heritage for generations to come.