Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development reports
Federal organizations worked cooperatively with Indigenous partners to protect ecologically significant areas
Federal-Indigenous Management of Protected Areas
Report metadata
- Tabling date:
- Audited entities:
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Parks Canada
- Report type
- Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development reports
At a glance
Overall, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Parks Canada have built and sustained relationships with Indigenous governments and organizations to cooperatively manage protected terrestrial areas (land and inland water) and marine and coastal areas in a manner that promotes reconciliation. Protecting ecologically significant areas helps preserve biodiversity, safeguard ecosystems, provide food security, and support cultural continuity.
The 3 federal organizations supported mutual, long‑term objectives on cooperatively managed protected areas by providing annual funding and other resources such as training to Indigenous partners. They worked together in meaningful ways to weave Indigenous Knowledge, values, and priorities into the management of protected areas and supported Guardians programs, which are Indigenous‑led land, ice, and water stewardship initiatives that contribute to the monitoring and protection of ecosystems.
Several risks could hinder the 3 organizations’ ability to continue to strengthen relationships with Indigenous partners. There is a risk that current funding allocations will not support the longer‑term needs of the programs and policies that nurture the cooperative management of protected areas. As well, existing federal legislation gives decision makers, such as the responsible minister, final decision‑making authority over matters within their jurisdiction in protected areas. This can make it challenging for the 3 organizations to meet Indigenous peoples’ expectations for shared decision making and advancing Indigenous self‑determination in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
If the federal government is to achieve its goal of building a resilient network of protected areas that covers 30% of Canada by 2030, it will need to continue to prioritize the cooperative management of protected areas. Strengthening federal‑Indigenous cooperative management increases the likelihood that Indigenous conservation methods will be sustained and flourish. The positive developments noted in this audit report will support future work in protecting the environment, increase certainty for sustainable economies, and create greater opportunities for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
Why we did this audit
- Indigenous governments have negotiated agreements and supports to cooperatively manage protected areas as a pathway to self‑determination.
- In keeping with the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, transformative change is fundamental to improving the federal government’s relationship with Indigenous peoples.
- The federal government has made public commitments to increase the percentage of protected and conserved terrestrial areas (land and inland water) and marine and coastal areas to 30% by 2030.
Highlights of our recommendations
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada should work with Indigenous governments and organizations with whom it has cooperative management agreements to co‑develop solutions in the short, medium, and long terms to key barriers and challenges to balancing the department’s marine conservation and fisheries management mandates with Indigenous people’s goals for protection and conservation. This work should be informed and guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan, with particular attention to those action plan measures assigned to the department that pertain to protection, conservation, and cooperative management.
- Where existing practices are not already in place, the 3 organizations should provide Indigenous partners with opportunities to meaningfully collaborate on recruitment processes for positions the Indigenous partners view as important to cooperative management.
Key facts and findings
- This audit is part of a series of 3 reports focused on protected and conserved areas across Canada. The 2 other audits are Establishing Terrestrial Protected Areas and Establishing Marine Protected Areas.
- This audit focused on 34 terrestrial areas and marine and coastal areas, chosen because they had been cooperatively managed by the federal government and Indigenous partners for at least 4 years.
- The federal government has committed to increasing the percentage of all protected and conserved terrestrial areas and marine and coastal areas across the country to 30% by 2030.
- The 3 organizations were generally successful in hiring and supporting candidates with cultural competencies.
- Each year between 2022–23 and 2025–26, 4 or 5 of the 7 Parks Canada field units we examined raised funding pressure concerns for their overall budgets, which included permanent and temporary funds.
How the 3 organizations, as partners, provide the supports for cooperative management will affect how future areas will be established and managed. Without support for the cooperative management of protected areas, Canada is unlikely to meet its international commitments on biodiversity, such as the commitments to protect and conserve at least 30% of Canada’s terrestrial areas and marine and coastal areas by 2030. These commitments are in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Exhibit highlights
Six case studies selected for closer examination
| Protected area | Designated underNote 1 | Federal organizations involved in cooperative management | Indigenous parties involved in cooperative management |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Akami-Uapishkᵁ-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve |
Canada National Parks Act |
Parks Canada |
Innu Nation |
|
Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area and Dehcho Protected Area |
Canada Wildlife Act Dehcho Protected Area under Dehcho law |
Environment and Climate Change Canada |
Dehcho First Nations |
|
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site |
Canada National Parks Act Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act Haida Heritage Site under Haida law |
Parks Canada (lead) Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Council of the Haida Nation |
|
SG̲áan K̲ínghlas-Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area |
Oceans Act X̲aads Siigee tl’a damaan tl’a k̲ing giigangs (Haida Marine Protected Area under Haida law) |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Council of the Haida Nation |
|
Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area |
Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act |
Parks Canada (lead) |
Qikiqtani Inuit Association |
|
Tongait KakKasuangita SilakKijâpvinga–Torngat Mountains National Park |
Canada National Parks Act |
Parks Canada |
Nunatsiavut Government Nunavik Inuit |
Source: Based on information from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Parks Canada
Thirty-four federal-Indigenous cooperatively managed protected areas were selected for the audit, and 6 were examined more closely
Text version
This map shows the 34 federal-Indigenous cooperatively managed protected areas that were selected for the audit. Six of the 34 areas are highlighted, as they were examined more closely. In alphabetical order, the 6 areas are as follows: Akami-Uapishkᵁ-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve, which is a terrestrial (land and inland water) protected area in northeastern Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area and Dehcho Protected Area, which is a terrestrial (land and inland water) protected area in the southern central area of the Northwest Territories Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site, which are part terrestrial (land and inland water) protected area and part marine and coastal protected area on islands off the coast of British Columbia SG̲áan K̲ínghlas-Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area, which is a marine and coastal protected area on islands off the coast of British Columbia Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, which is a marine and coastal protected area in the northeastern region of Nunavut Torngat Mountains National Park, which is a terrestrial (land and inland water) protected area in northwestern Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador The remaining federal-Indigenous cooperatively managed protected areas are located as follows: 1 more in British Columbia, 2 in the Yukon, 5 more in the Northwest Territories, and the rest sprinkled throughout Nunavut. Many are large enough on the map to be identified as terrestrial (land and inland water) protected areas. A large area at the northern tip of Nunavut is identified as a marine and coastal protected area. Some of the protected areas exist within the borders of other larger protected areas. For example, a small migratory bird sanctuary can be located within a national marine conservation area. As depicted by the colours, protected areas can also share borders that make them appear as a single area on the map. Additionally, some areas are very small and can only be depicted by a dot. This map is not drawn to scale and should not be used as an official source of protected area boundaries.Source: Based on information contained in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database and provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Parks Canada
Environment and Climate Change Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada relied on short- to medium‑term program funding to provide support for the ongoing cooperative management of protected areas
| Name of the program |
Enhanced Nature Legacy |
2016 to 2023 Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in the Nunavut Settlement Area |
Canada’s 2025 Marine Conservation Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Department |
Environment and Climate Change Canada |
Environment and Climate Change Canada |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
|
Duration |
5 years beginning in 2021–22 |
7 years beginning in 2016, plus a 2-year extension for 2023–24 and 2024–25 |
5 years beginning in 2021–22 |
|
Purpose |
Support of cooperatively managed protected and conserved areas, including direct funding to Indigenous government and organizations to support their participation in the governance of protected areas and related stewardship activities, such as Guardians programs. This included funding related to the Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area. |
Funding for the implementation of the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for the 5 national wildlife areas and 8 migratory bird sanctuaries that are co-managed by the department and the designated Inuit organizations in the Nunavut Settlement Area. |
Support for the management of marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, including monitoring, enforcement, and reporting. |
|
Allocation of existing reference levelsNote 1 over the duration of the agreement |
$65.2 million (represents 7% of total funding) |
$12.9 million (represents 53% of total funding) |
$68.3 million (represents 42% of total funding) |
|
New funding received over the duration of the agreement |
$823.6 million (represents 93% of total funding) |
$11.4 million (represents 47% of total funding) |
$92.9 million (represents 58% of total funding) |
|
Total funding allocated over the duration of the agreement |
$888.8 million |
$24.3 million |
$161.2 million |
Source: Based on information from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Related report(s)
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development reports