House of Commons passes Rouge National Urban Park Act which provides the strongest ever protection for Rouge Valley and will create the world's foremost urban protected area
OTTAWA, Jan. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today celebrated the Rouge National Urban Park Act (Bill C-40), which will provide the Rouge with the highest level of protection in its history and create Canada's first national urban park. The Bill passed third reading in the House of Commons and will now move to the Senate for review.
The Rouge National Urban Park Act is tailor-made to protect the Rouge's natural ecosystems and cultural landscapes, maintain native wildlife and ensure the health of those ecosystems. The Bill gives Parks Canada the legislative framework it needs to ensure the strongest ever protections for the park's ecosystems, wildlife, flora, fossils, artifacts, and other natural and cultural resources, and promotes the park's vibrant farming community.
Under this legislation, hunting, mineral extraction, dumping, polluting, harassing wildlife, poaching, and the removal of artefacts and fossils are prohibited. Stiff fines and year-round dedicated law enforcement officers will help address long-standing dumping, pollution, poaching and vandalism issues that have previously threatened the park's ecosystems, water, wildlife, artifacts and agricultural resources.
Rouge National Urban Park is home to an unparalleled combination of natural and cultural features, including more than 10,000 years of rich human history, 1,700 species of plants and animals, and a vibrant farming community. The park's close proximity to our country's largest metropolis brings unprecedented access for Canadians to learn about the park and all of Canada's protected heritage areas. With its very own legislation and year-round enforcement, no other urban park in the world will have stronger protections than what is proposed for Rouge National Urban Park – and these lands will be protected forever.
- The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the Rouge and all of its natural, cultural and agricultural resources.
- Rouge National Urban Park will be approximately 16 times larger than Central Park in New York.
- The Government of Canada has made a significant financial commitment for the establishment of Rouge National Urban Park in providing $143.7 million of funding over 10 years for the park's protection, development and interim operations, and $7.6 million per year thereafter for its continuing protection and operation. The conservation and restoration activities planned for Rouge National Urban Park will place a renewed focus on achievable actions that maintain and restore the health of ecosystems.
- This investment in the Greater Toronto Area is good for the people of Ontario. It means that the area's environment and cultural heritage are protected, that local food and farming are celebrated, that jobs are created, and more importantly, that this special place, Rouge National Urban Park, will be preserved for the benefit of current and future generations.
- Situated in close proximity to 20 percent of Canada's population, the Rouge's urban context provides unprecedented opportunities for a broad diversity of Canadians to learn about and connect with the park's natural, cultural and agricultural heritage, serving as a gateway for discovering Canada's incredible network of protected areas.
- Parks Canada has involved more than 150 provincial, municipal, Aboriginal and community groups and received comments from more than 15,000 Canadians excited and encouraged by the creation of Rouge National Urban Park.
- This newest addition to the protected areas under Parks Canada management will build on a legacy of 100-plus years of stewardship of some of Canada's most iconic places for the enjoyment of today's and future generations.
"The historic Rouge National Urban Park Act ensures the strongest ever protection for the Rouge. With the creation of Rouge National Urban Park, our Government will maintain the health of ecosystems, respect local farmers and create opportunities for Canadians to connect with this incredible landscape."
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq,
Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
Fact Sheet: Top Ten Conservation Benefits of Rouge National Urban Park
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Harper Government announces funding for Rouge National Urban Park in the Greater Toronto Area
Top 10 Conservation Benefits of Rouge National Urban Park
- Strongest ever protections in the Rouge's history – no urban park in the world will be as well protected
The Rouge National Urban Park Act, also known as Bill C-40, is a tailor-made approach for protecting the Rouge. It complements Ontario's Greenbelt Act and goes further by obligating the Government of Canada to protect the Rouge's natural ecosystems and cultural landscapes, to maintain native wildlife and to ensure the health of those ecosystems. Simply put, there is no other urban park on the planet with protections as strong as those proposed for Rouge National Urban Park.
- Year-round law enforcement will ensure wildlife, ecosystems, cultural landscapes, water, fossils and artefacts are protected to the full extent of the law
For the first time in the Rouge's history, dedicated park wardens will have a year-round presence in the park to enforce laws and stop poaching, dumping, pollution and other issues. Wardens will patrol the park and work with local police on a variety of enforcement measures to keep visitors safe and the park's farmland and other resources well-protected. Also for the first time in the Rouge's history, harmful activities such as poaching, polluting, dumping, theft of fossils, harassment of wildlife, hunting and mineral extraction will be directly and specifically prohibited under the Rouge National Urban Park Act.
- A focus on restoring native ecosystems, wildlife and landscapes
While more than 75% of the current Rouge Park landscape has been altered or disturbed, Parks Canada is committed to restoring the Rouge's native ecosystems, including Carolinian forests, marshes and meadows. Parks Canada has already begun working on restoration projects with municipalities, environmental groups and local farmers by reintroducing endangered turtles, making it easier for wildlife to cross park roads, and enhancing the health of agricultural wetlands.
- A strong science program
Parks Canada will apply its rigorous, award-winning and innovative scientific approach to the management of Rouge National Urban Park. Leading-edge science will be used to recover endangered species and eliminate invasive species. Parks Canada will ensure the health of park ecosystems and native wildlife with a full suite of monitoring, assessment and reporting tools specifically developed for the Rouge.
- Parks Canada will protect a much larger park
Rouge National Urban Park will become one of the largest urban protected areas in the world. The park will be larger than Bermuda, Monaco and Gibraltar and 16 times larger than Central Park in New York. By expanding the size of the current protected area, Parks Canada will achieve the long-standing conservation goal of connecting Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine, thereby linking communities and ecosystems throughout the entire Greater Toronto Area.
- Parks Canada brings its world-renowned park management approach to the Greater Toronto Area for the first time
Created in 1911, Parks Canada is the world's first national parks service dedicated to conservation. Parks Canada will draw on over one-hundred years of experience to protect the Rouge's natural ecosystems and cultural landscapes, maintain native wildlife and ensure the health of those ecosystems.
- First ever dedicated legislative protection for Bead Hill National Historic Site
The Rouge features over 10,000 years of human history and is home to Bead Hill National Historic Site and the Carrying Place National Historic Event. Parks Canada is working closely with First Nations to ensure their living history becomes an important part of Rouge National Urban Park's story.
- Record financial investment in the Rouge's conservation
The Government of Canada's 2012 funding announcement of $143.7 million over the first 10 years of park establishment and operations is the most significant conservation investment in the Rouge's history. This unprecedented financial commitment will allow Parks Canada to make investments in conservation, restoration, education, endangered species recovery, visitor experience, and community-driven stewardship initiatives in Canada's first national urban park.
- The park will protect nature, culture and – for the first time in a Canadian federal park – agriculture
Farms have become an endangered species in urban areas across much of the world. Rouge National Urban Park will protect large tracts of Class 1 farmland, the rarest and most fertile in the country. Park farmland will continue to produce local food while at the same time providing visitor experiences and contributing to the overall health of the park.
- These lands will be protected forever
Now is our chance to get things right for the Rouge. Once under the care of Parks Canada, park lands will be protected in perpetuity for countless future generations of Canadians to enjoy. Parks Canada's plan also provides the ability to add more lands to the park in the future should the opportunity to do so arise.
SOURCE Parks Canada
For further information: Office of the Minister of the Environment, 819-997-1441; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 855-862-1812