Canada's conserved areas
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Conserved areas safeguard biodiversity for present and future generations by reducing stresses from human activities. They also provide opportunities for people to connect with nature. Conserved areas include protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.Footnote 1 Protected areas include national/provincial/territorial parks, Indigenous protected areas, national wildlife areas, migratory bird sanctuaries and marine protected areas. Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are areas that do not meet the formal definition of protected area but are managed in a way that conserves biodiversity over the long term. Examples of OECMs can include: Indigenous territories, watersheds or resource management areas, and areas with restricted access, such as those used by the military. The indicators track the amount and proportion of area recognized as conserved in Canada.
National
National conserved areas
Key results
- At the end of 2021, Canada had conserved
- 13.5% of its terrestrial area (land and freshwater), including 12.6% in protected areas
- 13.9% of its marine territory, including 9.1% in protected areas
- Terrestrial area conserved has increased by 75% in the last 20 years and by 19% in the last 5 years
- Marine area conserved has increased by more than 2 700% in the last 20 years and by almost 900% in the last 5 years. However, marine area conserved increased very little in 2020 and 2021
Proportion of area conserved, Canada, 1990 to 2021

Data table for the long description
Year | Terrestrial area protected (square kilometres) |
Percentage of terrestrial area protected | Terrestrial area conserved (square kilometres) |
Percentage of terrestrial area conserved | Marine area protected (square kilometres) |
Percentage of marine area protected | Marine area conserved (square kilometres) |
Percentage of marine area conserved |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | 534 169 | 5.4 | 573 314 | 5.7 | 18 455 | 0.32 | 20 249 | 0.35 |
1991 | 534 674 | 5.4 | 573 821 | 5.8 | 18 474 | 0.32 | 20 268 | 0.35 |
1992 | 550 104 | 5.5 | 589 251 | 5.9 | 18 898 | 0.33 | 20 693 | 0.36 |
1993 | 564 759 | 5.7 | 603 905 | 6.1 | 19 144 | 0.33 | 20 938 | 0.36 |
1994 | 568 286 | 5.7 | 607 432 | 6.1 | 19 148 | 0.33 | 20 943 | 0.36 |
1995 | 600 604 | 6.0 | 639 751 | 6.4 | 20 916 | 0.36 | 22 711 | 0.39 |
1996 | 618 020 | 6.2 | 657 166 | 6.6 | 21 777 | 0.38 | 23 570 | 0.41 |
1997 | 629 818 | 6.3 | 677 798 | 6.8 | 21 799 | 0.38 | 23 593 | 0.41 |
1998 | 658 878 | 6.6 | 706 859 | 7.1 | 23 781 | 0.41 | 25 651 | 0.45 |
1999 | 681 719 | 6.8 | 729 699 | 7.3 | 24 014 | 0.42 | 27 974 | 0.49 |
2000 | 691 604 | 6.9 | 739 584 | 7.4 | 24 112 | 0.42 | 28 073 | 0.49 |
2001 | 719 717 | 7.2 | 767 696 | 7.7 | 24 144 | 0.42 | 28 105 | 0.49 |
2002 | 727 121 | 7.3 | 775 099 | 7.8 | 24 347 | 0.42 | 28 699 | 0.50 |
2003 | 782 963 | 7.8 | 836 884 | 8.4 | 27 547 | 0.48 | 31 914 | 0.56 |
2004 | 792 392 | 7.9 | 846 313 | 8.5 | 29 946 | 0.52 | 34 330 | 0.60 |
2005 | 819 068 | 8.2 | 872 978 | 8.7 | 31 368 | 0.55 | 38 559 | 0.67 |
2006 | 825 801 | 8.3 | 879 711 | 8.8 | 31 719 | 0.55 | 38 910 | 0.68 |
2007 | 851 954 | 8.5 | 905 864 | 9.1 | 31 912 | 0.55 | 49 525 | 0.86 |
2008 | 903 958 | 9.1 | 957 879 | 9.6 | 40 790 | 0.71 | 58 403 | 1.0 |
2009 | 935 450 | 9.4 | 989 370 | 9.9 | 41 344 | 0.72 | 58 957 | 1.0 |
2010 | 942 455 | 9.4 | 996 376 | 10.0 | 50 532 | 0.88 | 68 145 | 1.2 |
2011 | 966 933 | 9.7 | 1 024 250 | 10.3 | 50 618 | 0.88 | 68 231 | 1.2 |
2012 | 983 610 | 9.9 | 1 040 927 | 10.4 | 50 620 | 0.88 | 68 233 | 1.2 |
2013 | 1 017 590 | 10.2 | 1 105 026 | 11.1 | 51 267 | 0.89 | 69 617 | 1.2 |
2014 | 1 019 608 | 10.2 | 1 107 043 | 11.1 | 51 268 | 0.89 | 69 749 | 1.2 |
2015 | 1 042 741 | 10.4 | 1 130 181 | 11.3 | 52 614 | 0.92 | 71 121 | 1.2 |
2016 | 1 045 650 | 10.5 | 1 133 090 | 11.4 | 54 971 | 0.96 | 82 325 | 1.4 |
2017 | 1 048 114 | 10.5 | 1 135 553 | 11.4 | 168 413 | 2.9 | 451 116 | 7.9 |
2018 | 1 090 975 | 10.9 | 1 178 413 | 11.8 | 179 871 | 3.1 | 462 572 | 8.0 |
2019 | 1 129 523 | 11.3 | 1 217 190 | 12.2 | 511 855 | 8.9 | 794 558 | 13.8 |
2020 | 1 214 109 | 12.2 | 1 301 778 | 13.0 | 524 306 | 9.1 | 798 861 | 13.9 |
2021 | 1 254 278 | 12.6 | 1 345 067 | 13.5 | 524 306 | 9.1 | 798 861 | 13.9 |
Download data file (Excel/CSV; 3.24 kB)
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Terrestrial area includes both land and freshwater. Area conserved includes area protected as well as other effective area-based conservation measures. In Canada, marine and terrestrial other effective area-based conservation measures were formally recognized in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Trends are estimated based on site establishment dates rather than when they were formally recognized. For more information on the definition of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, please refer to the Data sources and methods. Canada's terrestrial territory is 9 984 670 square kilometres (km2) and its marine territory is approximately 5 750 000 km2. Overlaps among protected areas and among other effective area-based conservation measures were accounted for. Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
Canada is currently aiming to conserve 25% of our lands and 25% of our oceans by 2025, and 30% of each by 2030. In 2015, Canada established its 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada. Target 1 states: "By 2020, at least 17 percent of terrestrial areas and inland water, and 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, are conserved through networks of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures." At the time, 10.5% of Canada's terrestrial area and around 1% of its marine area were recognized as protected. Marine OECMs were first formally recognized in 2017 and terrestrial OECMs in 2018.Footnote 2
Trends are estimated based on the date a site was established, rather than the date when it was recognized as a Protected Area or OECM. For example, the Sahtu Regional Land Use Plan (a terrestrial area) was established in 2013; the OECMs within the plan were recognized for the first time in 2018. Another example is the Northeast Channel Coral Conservation Area, a marine refuge that was established as a fishery area closure in 2002 and recognized as an OECM in 2017. As such, the totals for a previous year may change as data are updated.
The distribution and size of conserved areas is variable. Larger terrestrial conserved areas tend to be located in northern Canada, where there is less intensive use of land for agriculture, settlements, and road networks. Larger marine conserved areas tend to be located in offshore areas or in northern Canada, where human uses are often less intensive. In landscapes and seascapes with competing uses, conserved areas tend to be smaller but more numerous.
Conserved areas, Canada, 2021

Long description
The map of Canada shows the distribution and size of terrestrial (land and freshwater) and marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures in 2021.
Navigate data using the interactive map
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Terrestrial area includes land and freshwater. Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
Ecological areas
Conserved areas, by ecological area
Canada's territory can be divided into 31 terrestrial and marine ecozones. Terrestrial ecozones are further divided into 215 terrestrial ecoregions. A representative conserved areas network should conserve biodiversity across all of Canada's ecological areas.
Conserved areas, by ecozone
An ecozone is a broad area of the Earth's surface that has a distinct climate and biodiversity.
Key results
- All of Canada's ecozones have some level of protection, ranging from less than 1% to almost 40% of the ecozone being conserved
- Six (6) terrestrial ecozones, the Tundra Cordillera, the Taiga Cordillera, the Pacific Maritime, the Montane Cordillera, the Arctic Cordillera and the Southern Arctic, have more than 20% of their area conserved
- Three (3) marine ecozones, the Arctic Basin, the Offshore Pacific and the Eastern Arctic, have more than 20% of their area conserved
- 13.4% of the Canadian area of the Great Lakes is conserved
Proportion of area conserved, by ecozone, Canada, 2021

Data table for the long description
Ecozone name | Ecozone code | Ecozone area (square kilometres) |
Area protected (square kilometres) |
Percentage of region protected | Other effective area-based conservation measures (square kilometres) |
Area conserved (square kilometres) |
Percentage of region conserved |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arctic Cordillera | CL01 | 229 513 | 51 891 | 22.6 | 0 | 51 891 | 22.6 |
Northern Arctic | CL02 | 1 479 561 | 105 630 | 7.1 | 0 | 105 630 | 7.1 |
Southern Arctic | CL03 | 958 299 | 186 150 | 19.4 | 6 772 | 192 922 | 20.1 |
Taiga Plains | CL04 | 553 374 | 61 138 | 11.0 | 18 199 | 79 377 | 14.3 |
Taiga Shield | CL05 | 1 322 962 | 169 620 | 12.8 | 1 032 | 170 652 | 12.9 |
Boreal Shield | CL06 | 1 902 001 | 216 895 | 11.4 | 36 | 216 931 | 11.4 |
Atlantic Maritime | CL07 | 110 590 | 9 517 | 8.6 | 48 | 9 565 | 8.6 |
Mixedwood Plains | CL08 | 115 395 | 2 764 | 2.4 | 43 | 2 807 | 2.4 |
Boreal Plains | CL09 | 780 010 | 65 249 | 8.4 | 5 026 | 70 275 | 9.0 |
Prairies | CL10 | 464 422 | 18 477 | 4.0 | 9 664 | 28 141 | 6.1 |
Montane Cordillera | CL11 | 436 791 | 82 673 | 18.9 | 17 069 | 99 742 | 22.8 |
Pacific Maritime | CL12 | 217 022 | 52 423 | 24.2 | 7 439 | 59 862 | 27.6 |
Boreal Cordillera | CL13 | 557 860 | 96 630 | 17.3 | 9 675 | 106 305 | 19.1 |
Taiga Cordillera | CL14 | 231 266 | 55 277 | 23.9 | 10 505 | 65 782 | 28.4 |
Hudson Plains | CL15 | 348 406 | 50 136 | 14.4 | 0 | 50 136 | 14.4 |
Tundra Cordillera | CL16 | 28 887 | 8 138 | 28.2 | 3 197 | 11 335 | 39.2 |
Atlantic Highlands | CL17 | 93 012 | 4 395 | 4.7 | 0 | 4 395 | 4.7 |
Semi-Arid Plateaus | CL18 | 56 464 | 5 343 | 9.5 | 2 084 | 7 427 | 13.2 |
Strait of Georgia | CW19 | 8 969 | 425 | 4.7 | 32 | 458 | 5.1 |
Southern Shelf | CW20 | 28 158 | 785 | 2.8 | 0 | 785 | 2.8 |
Offshore Pacific | CW21 | 315 724 | 10 547 | 3.3 | 82 431 | 92 977 | 29.4 |
Northern Shelf | CW22 | 101 663 | 16 647 | 16.4 | 0 | 16 647 | 16.4 |
Arctic Basin | CW23 | 752 053 | 284 091 | 37.8 | 0 | 284 091 | 37.8 |
Western Arctic | CW24 | 539 807 | 12 060 | 2.2 | 0 | 12 060 | 2.2 |
Arctic Archipelago | CW25 | 268 792 | 38 923 | 14.5 | 0 | 38 923 | 14.5 |
Eastern Arctic | CW26 | 782 636 | 115 296 | 14.7 | 58 725 | 174 021 | 22.2 |
Hudson Bay Complex | CW27 | 1 244 670 | 8 684 | 0.7 | 0 | 8 684 | 0.7 |
Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves | CW28 | 1 041 588 | 12 577 | 1.2 | 105 916 | 118 493 | 11.4 |
Scotian Shelf | CW29 | 416 296 | 6 000 | 1.4 | 19 734 | 25 733 | 6.2 |
Gulf of Saint Lawrence | CW30 | 246 648 | 18 270 | 7.4 | 7 718 | 25 988 | 10.5 |
Great Lakes | CW31 | 89 236 | 11 932 | 13.4 | 0 | 11 932 | 13.4 |
Download data file (Excel/CSV; 2.45 kB)
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Area conserved includes area protected as well as other effective area-based conservation measures. Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
Terrestrial ecozones with high levels of urbanization and development or widespread agriculture tend to have small proportions of conserved area. For example, the Mixedwood Plains (in southern Ontario and along the St. Lawrence River) has only 2.4% of its area conserved and the Prairies has 6.1%. On the other hand, terrestrial ecozones with a high proportion of conserved area tend to be remote or have high recreation value. For example, ecozones in the western mountain ranges have 19% or more of their area conserved.
Recent efforts have rapidly increased the amount of area conserved in some marine ecozones. Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area in the Arctic Basin is the largest marine protected area in Canada, increasing the proportion of the ecozone protected from less than 1% to 37.8%. Marine refuges in the Offshore Pacific, Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves and Gulf of St. Lawrence have helped to conserve more than 10% of each of these ecozones. However, the Hudson Bay Complex, Western Arctic and Southern Shelf ecozones have less than 5% of their area conserved.
Each ecozone is unique, and conservation involves the inclusion of areas that are representative of different parts of the ecozone and sites of special value. Challenges to establishing conserved areas include competition from other uses, such as agriculture, industry or urban development, and limitations on the extent of ecologically intact areas available within the ecozone.
Conserved areas, by ecoregion
Ecoregions are subdivisions of ecozones characterized by distinctive regional attributes. These include climate, landforms, vegetation, soil, flora and fauna.
Key results
- 93% of Canada's ecoregions have some level of protection, ranging from less than 1% to 100% of the ecoregion being conserved
- Of the 215 ecoregions in Canada,
- 72% (155 ecoregions) have less than 17% of their area conserved
- 12% (25 ecoregions) have between 17% and 30% of their area conserved
- 16% (35 ecoregions) have more than 30% of their area conserved
Figure 7. Proportion of area conserved, by ecoregion, Canada, 2021

Data table for the long description
Ecoregion name | Ecoregion code | Ecoregion area (square kilometres) |
Area protected (square kilometres) |
Percentage of region protected | Other effective area-based conservation measures (square kilometres) |
Area conserved (square kilometres) |
Percentage of region conserved |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ellesmere and Devon Island Ice Caps | CL01R01 | 113 244 | 14 120 | 12.5 | 0 | 14 120 | 12.5 |
Baffin Mountains | CL01R02 | 87 928 | 27 592 | 31.4 | 0 | 27 592 | 31.4 |
Baffin Islands Coastal Lowlands | CL01R03 | 9 159 | 476 | 5.2 | 0 | 476 | 5.2 |
Torngat Mountains | CL01R04 | 19 182 | 9 764 | 50.9 | 0 | 9 764 | 50.9 |
Ellesmere Mountains | CL02R01 | 53 112 | 6 197 | 11.7 | 0 | 6 197 | 11.7 |
Eureka Hills | CL02R02 | 75 769 | 15 492 | 20.4 | 0 | 15 492 | 20.4 |
Polar Islands | CL02R03 | 21 353 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sverdrup Islands Lowland | CL02R04 | 28 971 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lancaster Plateau | CL02R05 | 102 430 | 78 | 0.1 | 0 | 78 | 0.1 |
High Arctic | CL02R06 | 25 939 | 3 687 | 14.2 | 0 | 3 687 | 14.2 |
Central Melville Upland | CL02R07 | 15 210 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Parry Islands Plateau | CL02R08 | 43 593 | 12 266 | 28.1 | 0 | 12 266 | 28.1 |
Mid Arctic West | CL02R09 | 42 701 | 26 585 | 62.3 | 0 | 26 585 | 62.3 |
Mid Arctic East | CL02R10 | 91 488 | 362 | 0.4 | 0 | 362 | 0.4 |
Low Arctic North | CL02R11 | 9 859 | 859 | 8.7 | 0 | 859 | 8.7 |
Shaler Mountains | CL02R12 | 26 327 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Amundsen Gulf Lowlands | CL02R13 | 49 141 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
Victoria Islands Lowland | CL02R14 | 123 129 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Prince of Wales Island Lowland | CL02R15 | 17 150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Boothia Peninsula Plateau | CL02R16 | 35 701 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gulf of Boothia Plain | CL02R17 | 24 426 | 13 | 0.1 | 0 | 13 | 0.1 |
Borden Peninsula Plateau | CL02R18 | 31 473 | 11 822 | 37.6 | 0 | 11 822 | 37.6 |
Melville Peninsula Plateau | CL02R19 | 111 290 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
Baffin Island Uplands | CL02R20 | 79 703 | 1 597 | 2.0 | 0 | 1 597 | 2.0 |
Wager Bay Plateau | CL02R21 | 250 876 | 18 440 | 7.4 | 0 | 18 440 | 7.4 |
Foxe Basin Plain | CL02R22 | 56 549 | 6 574 | 11.6 | 0 | 6 574 | 11.6 |
Meta Incognita Peninsula | CL02R23 | 77 447 | 1 223 | 1.6 | 0 | 1 223 | 1.6 |
Pangnirtung Upland | CL02R24 | 34 271 | 40 | 0.1 | 0 | 40 | 0.1 |
Hall Peninsula Upland | CL02R25 | 35 389 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Baffin Upland | CL02R26 | 16 265 | 301 | 1.9 | 0 | 301 | 1.9 |
Yukon Coastal Plain | CL03R01 | 4 652 | 2 478 | 53.3 | 0 | 2 478 | 53.3 |
West Lowlands | CL03R02 | 24 729 | 1 178 | 4.8 | 0 | 1 178 | 4.8 |
Central Lowlands | CL03R03 | 14 847 | 335 | 2.3 | 0 | 335 | 2.3 |
East Lowlands | CL03R04 | 5 112 | 101 | 2.0 | 0 | 101 | 2.0 |
East Highlands | CL03R05 | 22 546 | 16 696 | 74.1 | 0 | 16 696 | 74.1 |
Coronation Hills | CL03R06 | 77 972 | 2 085 | 2.7 | 3 652 | 5 737 | 7.4 |
Bathurst Hills | CL03R07 | 8 986 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Takijua Lake Upland | CL03R08 | 126 102 | 1 543 | 1.2 | 915 | 2 457 | 1.9 |
Queen Maud Gulf Lowland | CL03R09 | 66 172 | 43 449 | 65.7 | 0 | 43 449 | 65.7 |
Chantrey Inlet Lowland | CL03R10 | 21 959 | 2 163 | 9.9 | 0 | 2 163 | 9.9 |
Garry Lake Lowland | CL03R11 | 98 928 | 29 029 | 29.3 | 2 206 | 31 235 | 31.6 |
Back River Plain | CL03R12 | 33 117 | 14 989 | 45.3 | 0 | 14 989 | 45.3 |
Dubawnt Lake Plain and Upland | CL03R13 | 54 322 | 14 869 | 27.4 | 0 | 14 869 | 27.4 |
Maguse River Upland | CL03R14 | 78 598 | 257 | 0.3 | 0 | 257 | 0.3 |
Southampton Island Plain | CL03R15 | 37 903 | 1 463 | 3.9 | 0 | 1 463 | 3.9 |
Ottawa Islands | CL03R16 | 410 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Belcher Islands | CL03R17 | 3 214 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ungava Peninsula | CL03R18 | 240 236 | 39 313 | 16.4 | 0 | 39 313 | 16.4 |
Northern Labrador Highlands | CL03R19 | 38 496 | 16 202 | 42.1 | 0 | 16 202 | 42.1 |
Mackenzie Delta | CL04R01 | 9 373 | 0 | 0 | 130 | 130 | 1.4 |
Low Subarctic Northern Plains | CL04R02 | 55 550 | 8 751 | 15.8 | 2 216 | 10 967 | 19.7 |
Northern Uplands | CL04R03 | 54 532 | 808 | 1.5 | 6 920 | 7 728 | 14.2 |
High Subarctic Northern Plains | CL04R04 | 82 597 | 666 | 0.8 | 2 020 | 2 685 | 3.3 |
Central Highlands | CL04R05 | 38 262 | 3 307 | 8.6 | 2 699 | 6 006 | 15.7 |
Central Uplands | CL04R06 | 17 973 | 109 | 0.6 | 16 | 125 | 0.7 |
Central Plains | CL04R07 | 20 851 | 1 128 | 5.4 | 3 149 | 4 277 | 20.5 |
Lac Grandin Plain | CL04R08 | 26 097 | 1 317 | 5.0 | 523 | 1 840 | 7.1 |
West-central Uplands | CL04R09 | 10 647 | 683 | 6.4 | 0 | 683 | 6.4 |
Mackenzie Plain | CL04R10 | 18 388 | 1 439 | 7.8 | 0 | 1 439 | 7.8 |
Bulmer Plain | CL04R11 | 17 255 | 1 370 | 7.9 | 0 | 1 370 | 7.9 |
Horn Plateau | CL04R12 | 9 404 | 6 946 | 73.9 | 0 | 6 946 | 73.9 |
Great Slave Lake Plain | CL04R13 | 15 877 | 116 | 0.7 | 0 | 116 | 0.7 |
Northern Alberta Upland | CL04R14 | 31 212 | 481 | 1.5 | 527 | 1 008 | 3.2 |
Southern Uplands | CL04R15 | 15 675 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Northern Mixedwood | CL04R16 | 92 264 | 24 663 | 26.7 | 0 | 24 663 | 26.7 |
Lower Boreal Highlands North | CL04R17 | 11 745 | 1 926 | 16.4 | 0 | 1 926 | 16.4 |
Boreal Subarctic | CL04R18 | 14 006 | 5 844 | 41.7 | 0 | 5 844 | 41.7 |
Slave Lowlands | CL04R19 | 11 667 | 1 583 | 13.6 | 0 | 1 583 | 13.6 |
High Subarctic West | CL05R01 | 60 726 | 3 155 | 5.2 | 950 | 4 105 | 6.8 |
Low Subarctic North | CL05R02 | 58 734 | 4 831 | 8.2 | 82 | 4 913 | 8.4 |
High Boreal | CL05R03 | 111 755 | 15 043 | 13.5 | 0 | 15 043 | 13.5 |
Slave Plain | CL05R04 | 7 579 | 11 | 0.1 | 0 | 11 | 0.1 |
Selwyn Lake Upland | CL05R05 | 196 275 | 22 463 | 11.4 | 0 | 22 463 | 11.4 |
Kazan River Upland | CL05R06 | 183 946 | 24 006 | 13.1 | 0 | 24 006 | 13.1 |
La Grande Hills | CL05R07 | 171 951 | 48 030 | 27.9 | 0 | 48 030 | 27.9 |
Nord-du-Québec Central Plateau | CL05R08 | 177 618 | 28 818 | 16.2 | 0 | 28 818 | 16.2 |
McPhayden Plateau | CL05R09 | 9 461 | 7 | 0.1 | 0 | 7 | 0.1 |
Ungava Bay Basin | CL05R10 | 109 785 | 13 361 | 12.2 | 0 | 13 361 | 12.2 |
Kingurutik-Fraser | CL05R11 | 52 915 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
Coastal Barrens | CL05R12 | 13 520 | 856 | 6.3 | 0 | 856 | 6.3 |
Michikamau-Smallwood | CL05R13 | 86 549 | 1 531 | 1.8 | 0 | 1 531 | 1.8 |
Nipishish-Goose | CL05R14 | 23 259 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mecatina River | CL05R15 | 41 289 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Eagle Plateau – Mealy Mountains | CL05R16 | 17 599 | 7 496 | 42.6 | 0 | 7 496 | 42.6 |
Athabasca Plain | CL06R01 | 87 467 | 6 466 | 7.4 | 0 | 6 466 | 7.4 |
Churchill River Upland | CL06R02 | 196 603 | 11 598 | 5.9 | 36 | 11 634 | 5.9 |
Hayes River Upland | CL06R03 | 131 805 | 4 697 | 3.6 | 0 | 4 697 | 3.6 |
Big Trout Lake | CL06R04 | 146 897 | 5 611 | 3.8 | 0 | 5 611 | 3.8 |
Lake St. Joseph | CL06R05 | 91 057 | 25 600 | 28.1 | 0 | 25 600 | 28.1 |
Lake Wabigoon | CL06R06 | 75 331 | 15 680 | 20.8 | 0 | 15 680 | 20.8 |
Lake of the Woods | CL06R07 | 16 390 | 761 | 4.6 | 0 | 761 | 4.6 |
Lake Nipigon | CL06R08 | 89 192 | 14 773 | 16.6 | 0 | 14 773 | 16.6 |
Pigeon River | CL06R09 | 20 468 | 5 175 | 25.3 | 0 | 5 175 | 25.3 |
Abitibi Lowlands | CL06R10 | 211 625 | 20 917 | 9.9 | 0 | 20 917 | 9.9 |
Lake Temagami | CL06R11 | 41 758 | 6 264 | 15.0 | 0 | 6 264 | 15.0 |
Georgian Bay | CL06R12 | 74 501 | 7 881 | 10.6 | 0 | 7 881 | 10.6 |
Mistassini Highlands | CL06R13 | 97 165 | 22 528 | 23.2 | 0 | 22 528 | 23.2 |
Southern Laurentides Highlands | CL06R14 | 158 761 | 13 021 | 8.2 | 0 | 13 021 | 8.2 |
Central Laurentides Highlands | CL06R15 | 205 129 | 26 773 | 13.1 | 0 | 26 773 | 13.1 |
Lake Melville | CL06R16 | 17 668 | 461 | 2.6 | 0 | 461 | 2.6 |
Paradise River | CL06R17 | 17 160 | 1 900 | 11.1 | 0 | 1 900 | 11.1 |
Middle and Lower Côte-Nord Plateau | CL06R18 | 104 282 | 17 069 | 16.4 | 0 | 17 069 | 16.4 |
Anticosti Island | CL06R19 | 7 937 | 2 253 | 28.4 | 0 | 2 253 | 28.4 |
Strait of Belle Isle Barrens | CL06R20 | 1 783 | 42 | 2.3 | 0 | 42 | 2.3 |
Northern Peninsula Forest | CL06R21 | 8 508 | 505 | 5.9 | 0 | 505 | 5.9 |
Long Range Barrens | CL06R22 | 16 589 | 1 598 | 9.6 | 0 | 1 598 | 9.6 |
Western Newfoundland Forest | CL06R23 | 9 874 | 561 | 5.7 | 0 | 561 | 5.7 |
Central Newfoundland Forest | CL06R24 | 28 731 | 537 | 1.9 | 0 | 537 | 1.9 |
North Shore Forest | CL06R25 | 5 483 | 133 | 2.4 | 0 | 133 | 2.4 |
Maritime Barrens | CL06R26 | 37 734 | 4 038 | 10.7 | 0 | 4 038 | 10.7 |
Avalon Forest | CL06R27 | 555 | 16 | 2.9 | 0 | 16 | 2.9 |
Eastern Hyper-Oceanic Barrens | CL06R28 | 1 545 | 44 | 2.9 | 0 | 44 | 2.9 |
Valley Lowlands | CL07R01 | 20 310 | 722 | 3.6 | 0 | 722 | 3.6 |
Eastern Lowlands | CL07R02 | 39 021 | 1 795 | 4.6 | 10 | 1 805 | 4.6 |
Grand Lake Lowlands | CL07R03 | 3 780 | 153 | 4.0 | 0 | 153 | 4.0 |
Central Uplands East | CL07R04 | 1 408 | 212 | 15.0 | 0 | 212 | 15.0 |
Fundy Coast | CL07R05 | 3 633 | 264 | 7.3 | 0 | 264 | 7.3 |
Prince Edward Island | CL07R06 | 5 932 | 228 | 3.8 | 25 | 253 | 4.3 |
Îles-de-la-Madeleine | CL07R07 | 232 | 26 | 11.2 | 0 | 26 | 11.2 |
Avalon Uplands | CL07R08 | 4 793 | 393 | 8.2 | 13 | 406 | 8.5 |
Triassic Lowlands | CL07R09 | 1 367 | 2 | 0.1 | 0 | 2 | 0.1 |
Western Meguma Interior | CL07R10 | 17 129 | 2 890 | 16.9 | 0 | 2 890 | 16.9 |
Eastern Meguma Interior | CL07R11 | 6 136 | 787 | 12.8 | 0 | 787 | 12.8 |
Cape Breton Highlands | CL07R12 | 2 460 | 1 282 | 52.1 | 0 | 1 282 | 52.1 |
Cape Breton Taiga | CL07R13 | 302 | 227 | 75.2 | 0 | 227 | 75.2 |
Atlantic Coast | CL07R14 | 4 088 | 536 | 13.1 | 0 | 536 | 13.1 |
St. Lawrence Lowlands | CL08R01 | 44 124 | 1 520 | 3.4 | 0 | 1 521 | 3.4 |
Lake Simcoe | CL08R02 | 49 405 | 1 018 | 2.1 | 42 | 1 060 | 2.1 |
Lake Erie - Lake Ontario | CL08R03 | 21 865 | 220 | 1.0 | 0 | 220 | 1.0 |
Muskwa Plateau | CL09R01 | 26 169 | 857 | 3.3 | 1 | 857 | 3.3 |
Mid Boreal Uplands | CL09R02 | 307 570 | 40 308 | 13.1 | 2 141 | 42 449 | 13.8 |
Lower Boreal Highlands South | CL09R03 | 69 089 | 3 039 | 4.4 | 559 | 3 598 | 5.2 |
Upper Boreal Highlands | CL09R04 | 11 894 | 2 331 | 19.6 | 0 | 2 331 | 19.6 |
Dry Mixedwood | CL09R05 | 58 592 | 939 | 1.6 | 180 | 1 118 | 1.9 |
Peace River Parkland | CL09R06 | 3 122 | 20 | 0.6 | 0 | 20 | 0.6 |
Lower Foothills | CL09R07 | 51 105 | 457 | 0.9 | 191 | 648 | 1.3 |
Upper Foothills | CL09R08 | 22 460 | 600 | 2.7 | 30 | 631 | 2.8 |
Peace-Athabasca Delta | CL09R09 | 5 539 | 5 227 | 94.4 | 0 | 5 227 | 94.4 |
Boreal Transition | CL09R10 | 91 799 | 3 488 | 3.8 | 1 636 | 5 124 | 5.6 |
Mid Boreal Lowland | CL09R11 | 92 890 | 6 411 | 6.9 | 284 | 6 696 | 7.2 |
Interlake Plain | CL09R12 | 39 782 | 1 572 | 4.0 | 5 | 1 576 | 4.0 |
Aspen Parkland | CL10R01 | 170 223 | 4 507 | 2.6 | 2 085 | 6 592 | 3.9 |
Foothills Parkland | CL10R02 | 3 928 | 243 | 6.2 | 0 | 243 | 6.2 |
Foothills Fescue | CL10R03 | 13 642 | 49 | 0.4 | 0 | 49 | 0.4 |
Moist Mixed Grassland | CL10R04 | 82 833 | 3 836 | 4.6 | 1 103 | 4 939 | 6.0 |
Mixedgrass | CL10R05 | 17 599 | 180 | 1.0 | 0 | 180 | 1.0 |
Dry Mixedgrass | CL10R06 | 133 416 | 8 636 | 6.5 | 5 655 | 14 291 | 10.7 |
Cypress Mixedgrass | CL10R07 | 7 517 | 252 | 3.4 | 822 | 1 074 | 14.3 |
Cypress Hills Montane | CL10R08 | 309 | 206 | 66.7 | 0 | 206 | 66.7 |
Southwest Manitoba Uplands | CL10R09 | 2 188 | 178 | 8.1 | 0 | 178 | 8.1 |
Lake Manitoba Plain | CL10R10 | 32 768 | 388 | 1.2 | 0 | 388 | 1.2 |
Skeena Mountains | CL11R01 | 24 427 | 882 | 3.6 | 525 | 1 407 | 5.8 |
Omineca Mountains | CL11R02 | 34 083 | 2 960 | 8.7 | 1 111 | 4 070 | 11.9 |
Fraser Basin | CL11R03 | 43 017 | 1 522 | 3.5 | 403 | 1 925 | 4.5 |
Central Canadian Rocky Mountains | CL11R04 | 37 273 | 4 032 | 10.8 | 2 487 | 6 518 | 17.5 |
Eastern Hazelton Mountains | CL11R05 | 13 535 | 5 992 | 44.3 | 1 098 | 7 090 | 52.4 |
Chilcotin Ranges | CL11R06 | 15 784 | 6 476 | 41.0 | 363 | 6 839 | 43.3 |
Fraser Plateau | CL11R07 | 82 038 | 5 175 | 6.3 | 6 010 | 11 185 | 13.6 |
Columbia Highlands | CL11R08 | 29 572 | 3 194 | 10.8 | 2 371 | 5 565 | 18.8 |
Selkirk-Bitterroot Foothills | CL11R09 | 7 646 | 876 | 11.5 | 55 | 932 | 12.2 |
Northern Columbia Mountains | CL11R10 | 53 493 | 12 036 | 22.5 | 1 142 | 13 177 | 24.6 |
Southern Rocky Mountain Trench | CL11R11 | 8 498 | 609 | 7.2 | 152 | 761 | 9.0 |
Purcell Transitional Ranges | CL11R12 | 8 108 | 1 196 | 14.8 | 4 | 1 200 | 14.8 |
Western Continental Ranges | CL11R13 | 23 382 | 6 501 | 27.8 | 113 | 6 614 | 28.3 |
Northern Continental Divide | CL11R14 | 5 916 | 437 | 7.4 | 880 | 1 317 | 22.3 |
Eastern Continental Ranges | CL11R15 | 50 020 | 30 785 | 61.5 | 356 | 31 142 | 62.3 |
Mount Logan | CL12R01 | 12 925 | 12 923 | 100 | 0 | 12 923 | 100 |
Chugach Mountains and Icefields | CL12R02 | 2 338 | 2 338 | 100 | 0 | 2 338 | 100 |
Boundary Ranges | CL12R03 | 21 426 | 1 318 | 6.2 | 10 | 1 328 | 6.2 |
Nass Ranges | CL12R04 | 27 323 | 1 279 | 4.7 | 1 447 | 2 726 | 10.0 |
Gwaii Haanas | CL12R05 | 10 049 | 4 820 | 48.0 | 8 | 4 828 | 48.0 |
Coastal Gap | CL12R06 | 45 187 | 16 907 | 37.4 | 631 | 17 538 | 38.8 |
Western Vancouver Island | CL12R07 | 20 165 | 2 815 | 14.0 | 794 | 3 610 | 17.9 |
Eastern Vancouver Island | CL12R08 | 12 333 | 1 547 | 12.5 | 210 | 1 756 | 14.2 |
Georgia-Puget Basin | CL12R09 | 1 668 | 150 | 9.0 | 3 | 153 | 9.2 |
Lower Mainland | CL12R10 | 4 290 | 219 | 5.1 | 49 | 268 | 6.2 |
Pacific Ranges | CL12R11 | 59 317 | 8 108 | 13.7 | 4 287 | 12 395 | 20.9 |
St. Elias Mountains | CL13R01 | 18 708 | 15 693 | 83.9 | 0 | 15 693 | 83.9 |
Wellesley Lake | CL13R02 | 3 983 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ruby-Nisling Ranges | CL13R03 | 18 885 | 10 | 0.1 | 0 | 10 | 0.1 |
Klondike Plateau | CL13R04 | 36 520 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Yukon Plateau-Central | CL13R05 | 24 030 | 110 | 0.5 | 0 | 110 | 0.5 |
McQuesten Highlands | CL13R06 | 23 592 | 771 | 3.3 | 0 | 771 | 3.3 |
Yukon Plateau-North | CL13R07 | 49 503 | 1 770 | 3.6 | 0 | 1 770 | 3.6 |
Selwyn Mountains | CL13R08 | 35 697 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Mid-Boreal Highlands | CL13R09 | 24 120 | 12 638 | 52.4 | 2 | 12 640 | 52.4 |
High Boreal Highlands | CL13R10 | 23 759 | 18 135 | 76.3 | 0 | 18 135 | 76.3 |
High Boreal Lowlands | CL13R11 | 9 561 | 1 042 | 10.9 | 0 | 1 042 | 10.9 |
Yukon-Stikine Highlands | CL13R12 | 23 468 | 6 654 | 28.4 | 0 | 6 654 | 28.4 |
Yukon Southern Lakes | CL13R13 | 50 133 | 5 846 | 11.7 | 0 | 5 846 | 11.7 |
Pelly Mountains | CL13R14 | 46 960 | 140 | 0.3 | 0 | 140 | 0.3 |
Boreal Mountains and Plateaus | CL13R15 | 79 123 | 20 760 | 26.2 | 4 322 | 25 081 | 31.7 |
Liard Basin | CL13R16 | 28 926 | 620 | 2.1 | 0 | 620 | 2.1 |
Hyland Highland | CL13R17 | 19 609 | 378 | 1.9 | 0 | 378 | 1.9 |
Northern Canadian Rocky Mountains | CL13R18 | 41 282 | 12 062 | 29.2 | 5 352 | 17 414 | 42.2 |
Davidson Mountains | CL14R01 | 5 191 | 3 302 | 63.6 | 0 | 3 302 | 63.6 |
Old Crow Basin | CL14R02 | 14 923 | 5 794 | 38.8 | 0 | 5 794 | 38.8 |
North Ogilvie Mountains | CL14R03 | 40 613 | 7 096 | 17.5 | 0 | 7 096 | 17.5 |
Eagle Plains | CL14R04 | 21 985 | 1 619 | 7.4 | 0 | 1 619 | 7.4 |
Mackenzie Mountains | CL14R05 | 31 568 | 18 399 | 58.3 | 0 | 18 399 | 58.3 |
Low Subarctic Lowlands | CL14R06 | 43 421 | 15 769 | 36.3 | 1 833 | 17 602 | 40.5 |
High Subarctic Highlands | CL14R07 | 24 526 | 154 | 0.6 | 1 652 | 1 806 | 7.4 |
Low Subarctic Highlands | CL14R08 | 49 040 | 3 145 | 6.4 | 7 020 | 10 165 | 20.7 |
Coastal Hudson Bay Lowland | CL15R01 | 57 236 | 26 576 | 46.4 | 0 | 26 576 | 46.4 |
Hudson Bay Lowland | CL15R02 | 138 825 | 13 362 | 9.6 | 0 | 13 362 | 9.6 |
James Bay Lowlands | CL15R03 | 152 345 | 10 198 | 6.7 | 0 | 10 198 | 6.7 |
British-Richardson Mountains | CL16R01 | 28 887 | 8 138 | 28.2 | 3 197 | 11 335 | 39.2 |
Appalachian Mountains | CL17R01 | 69 073 | 3 133 | 4.5 | 0 | 3 133 | 4.5 |
Central Uplands West | CL17R02 | 12 393 | 378 | 3.0 | 0 | 378 | 3.0 |
Northern New Brunswick Uplands | CL17R03 | 8 724 | 601 | 6.9 | 0 | 601 | 6.9 |
New Brunswick Highlands | CL17R04 | 2 822 | 283 | 10.0 | 0 | 283 | 10.0 |
Interior Transition Ranges | CL18R01 | 14 026 | 2 235 | 15.9 | 1 217 | 3 453 | 24.6 |
Northern Cascade Ranges | CL18R02 | 9 479 | 1 652 | 17.4 | 194 | 1 847 | 19.5 |
Thompson-Okanagan Plateau | CL18R03 | 31 596 | 1 253 | 4.0 | 657 | 1 909 | 6.0 |
Okanagan Highland | CL18R04 | 1 363 | 203 | 14.9 | 15 | 218 | 16.0 |
Great Lakes | CW31 | 89 236 | 11 932 | 13.4 | 0 | 11 932 | 13.4 |
Download data file (Excel/CSV; 12.4 kB)
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Area conserved includes area protected as well as area conserved with other measures. Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
The area conserved varies greatly among ecoregions. Ecoregions that have the highest proportion of area conserved are associated with large protected areas. For example, the Peace-Athabasca Delta ecoregion has 94.4% of its area conserved (Wood Buffalo National Park) and the Mount Logan ecoregion has 100% of its area conserved (Kluane National Park and Reserve). On the other hand, ecoregions in urban or agricultural landscapes have the lowest proportion of area conserved. The Lake Simcoe and Lake Erie - Lake Ontario ecoregions each have less than 3% of their area conserved.
Terrestrial
Terrestrial conserved areas, within each province and territory
Key results
- The proportion of terrestrial area (land and freshwater) conserved varies by province and territory. It ranges from 4.5% in Prince Edward Island to 19.6% in British Columbia
- Additions in 2021 include:
- over 50 new protected areas in Quebec, with 8 862 km2 reportedFootnote 3
- 6 new conserved areas in Yukon, totalling 35 419 km2
Proportion of terrestrial area conserved, by province and territory, Canada, 2021

Data table for the long description
Province or territory | Provincial or territorial area (square kilometres) |
Area protected (square kilometres) |
Percentage of province or territory protected | Other effective area-based conservation measures (square kilometres) |
Area conserved (square kilometres) |
Percentage of province or territory conserved |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Columbia | 944 735 | 146 284 | 15.5 | 38 477 | 184 761 | 19.6 |
Yukon | 482 443 | 92 227 | 19.1 | 0 | 92 227 | 19.1 |
Quebec | 1 512 418 | 253 160 | 16.7 | 0 | 253 160 | 16.7 |
Northwest Territories | 1 346 106 | 173 140 | 12.9 | 39 181 | 212 321 | 15.8 |
Alberta | 661 848 | 101 596 | 15.4 | 0 | 101 596 | 15.4 |
Nova Scotia | 55 284 | 7 078 | 12.8 | 23 | 7 101 | 12.8 |
Manitoba | 647 797 | 71 331 | 11.0 | 231 | 71 561 | 11.0 |
Ontario | 1 076 395 | 115 258 | 10.7 | 43 | 115 300 | 10.7 |
Nunavut | 2 093 190 | 211 373 | 10.1 | 0 | 211 373 | 10.1 |
Saskatchewan | 651 036 | 50 938 | 7.8 | 12 812 | 63 750 | 9.8 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 405 212 | 28 141 | 6.9 | 0 | 28 141 | 6.9 |
New Brunswick | 72 908 | 3 565 | 4.9 | 0 | 3 565 | 4.9 |
Prince Edward Island | 5 660 | 228 | 4.0 | 25 | 253 | 4.5 |
Note: Area conserved includes area protected as well as other effective area-based conservation measures.
Download data file (Excel/CSV; 1.50 kB)
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Terrestrial area includes land and freshwater. Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
Each province and territory has set aside areas for conservation. Compared to the previous year, the following provinces increased terrestrial areas conserved:
- British Columbia, from 19.5% to 19.6%
- Yukon, from 11.8% to 19.1%
- Quebec, from 12.9% to 16.7%
- Prince Edward Island, from 4.2% to 4.5%
An increasing number of Indigenous protected areas and OECMs are being established. Recent examples include:
- Central Purcell Mountains Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area in British Columbia
- Tłı̨chǫ Lands Indigenous Conserved Area and Edéhzhíe Indigenous Protected Area in the Northwest Territories
- Thaidene Nëné Wildlife Conservation Area, Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve and Thaidene Nëné Territorial Protected Area in the Northwest Territories
- Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park in Alberta
These areas are managed cooperatively between jurisdictions and Indigenous people, or by Indigenous people.
Terrestrial conserved areas, by reporting jurisdiction
Key results
- Over 65% of all terrestrial areas conserved are reported by provincial and territorial jurisdictions
- Parks Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada are responsible for over 26% and almost 9% of Canada's terrestrial conserved areas, respectively
Terrestrial area conserved, by reporting jurisdiction, Canada, 2021

Data table for the long description
Jurisdiction | Area protected (square kilometres) |
Other effective area-based conservation measures (square kilometres) |
Area conserved (square kilometres) |
---|---|---|---|
Provincial and territorial subtotal | 792 140 | 91 102 | 883 243 |
Quebec | 251 832 | 0 | 251 832 |
British Columbia | 140 181 | 38 475 | 178 656 |
Ontario | 101 839 | 43 | 101 881 |
Northwest Territories | 43 110 | 39 181 | 82 291 |
Manitoba | 57 590 | 231 | 57 821 |
Saskatchewan | 44 635 | 13 125 | 57 759 |
Alberta | 46 082 | 0 | 46 082 |
Nunavut | 36 534 | 0 | 36 534 |
Yukon | 56 032 | 0 | 56 032 |
Nova Scotia | 5 675 | 23 | 5 698 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 5 333 | 0 | 5 333 |
New Brunswick | 3 097 | 0 | 3 097 |
Prince Edward Island | 202 | 25 | 227 |
Parks Canada | 353 082 | 0 | 353 082 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada | 119 946 | 2 | 119 948 |
National Capital Commission | 463 | 0 | 463 |
Correctionfor overlaps among jurisdictions | -11 353 | -315 | -11 668 |
Grand total | 1 254 278 | 90 789 | 1 345 067 |
Note: Area conserved includes area protected as well as other effective area-based conservation measures.
Download data file (Excel/CSV; 1.38 kB)
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Terrestrial areas include land and freshwater. Terrestrial area protected under the jurisdiction of the National Capital Commission is too small to see in the figure. Data are current as of December 31, 2021
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
Marine
Marine conserved areas, by reporting jurisdiction
Key results
- In 2021, no additional marine conserved areas were recognized
- At the end of 2021, marine refuges covered about 275 000 km2 of Canada's marine territoryFootnote 4
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada are responsible for 79% and 15% of Canada's marine conserved areas, respectively
Marine area conserved, by reporting jurisdiction, Canada, 2021

Data table for the long description
Jurisdiction | Area protected (square kilometres) |
Other effective area-based conservation measures (square kilometres) |
Area conserved (square kilometres) |
---|---|---|---|
Provincial subtotal | 23 716 | 0 | 23 716 |
Quebec | 18 833 | 0 | 18 833 |
British Columbia | 4 630 | 0 | 4 630 |
Atlantic provinces | 173 | 0 | 173 |
Manitoba | 80 | 0 | 80 |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada | 351 517 | 282 766 | 634 283 |
Parks Canada | 122 089 | 0 | 122 089 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada | 31 072 | 0 | 31 072 |
Correctionfor overlaps among jurisdictions | -4 088 | -8 211 | -12 299 |
Grand total | 524 306 | 274 555 | 798 861 |
Note: Area conserved includes area protected as well as other effective area-based conservation measures.
Download data file (Excel/CSV; 1.04 kB)
How this indicator was calculated
Note: Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
In 2019, Canada surpassed its 2020 marine conservation target of 10%, by conserving 13.8% of its marine territory. This was largely due to the addition of the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area which added 319 411 km2 of protected area. In 2020, marine area recognized as conserved increased to 13.9%.
Marine refuges are long-term fisheries area closures that have been assessed as meeting Canada's criteria for marine other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs).
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada each have specific but complementary mandates for establishing marine protected areas:
- Oceans Act marine protected areas (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) are established to maintain ecological integrity and to conserve marine species and their habitats. This includes species that are fished, endangered or threatened marine species, as well as unique habitats and areas of high biological productivity or biodiversity
- National marine conservation areas (Parks Canada) are established to conserve representative examples of Canada's natural and cultural marine heritage and to provide opportunities for public education and enjoyment
- National wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries (Environment and Climate Change Canada) are established to conserve habitat for a variety of wildlife including migratory birds and endangered species
Areas established by these departments, along with provincially established areas, contribute to the conservation network. The primary goal of this network is to provide long-term conservation of marine biodiversity, ecosystem function and special natural features.
The different jurisdictions conserve areas for different purposes,Footnote 5 and control the amount of human activity (such as transportation, fishing or recreation) that is allowed. Marine conservation efforts include a wide range of management and stewardship activities. Examples include support for the recovery of species at risk, prevention and mitigation of the impact of aquatic invasive species, and strengthening of Canada's response to ship-source marine pollution.
About the indicators
About the indicators
What the indicators measure
These indicators report the amount and proportion of Canada's terrestrial (land and freshwater) and marine area that is recognized as conserved. Conserved areas are lands and waters where human use is limited. They include protected areas as well as other effective area-based conservation measures. Canada recognizes the international definitions of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (One with Nature 2018 [PDF; 2.12 MB] and Canada's Marine Protection Standards). Land and/or water access and use within protected areas are controlled primarily for the purpose of conserving nature (for example, a park, a conservation area or a wildlife reserve). Other effective area-based conservation measures are also managed over the long term in ways that result in the effective conservation of biodiversity. However, other effective area-based conservation measures might have been established for other purposes. In some cases, certain commercial activities and harvesting of biological resources may be allowed so long as there is no major negative impact to the conservation objectives of the area.
Why these indicators are important
Well-managed conserved areas are one way to protect wild species and their habitats for present and future generations. Habitat conservation is a measure of human response to the loss of biodiversity and natural habitat. As the area conserved in Canada increases, more lands and waters are withdrawn from direct human development stresses, thereby contributing to biodiversity conservation and improving the health of ecosystems. In turn, healthy ecosystems provide benefits such as clean water, mitigation of climate change, pollination and improved human health.
Many countries use protected areas as the core of their programs to preserve biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services. The parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, among them Canada, set an aspirational target to conserve at least 17% of terrestrial areas and inland waters, and 10% of marine areas, by 2020. This is the 11th of 20 targets collectively known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, established in October 2010.
As part of its work towards achieving Target 1 of the 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada, Canada has conserved new areas and recognized previously existing areas. The Pathway to Canada Target 1 initiative focusses on terrestrial and freshwater areas, while Fisheries and Oceans Canada leads on meeting marine conservation targets. In 2015, when the Biodiversity Goals and Targets were established for Canada, 10.5% of Canada’s terrestrial area and around 1% of its marine area were recognized as protected.
A new area-based target has been set for Canada, conserving 25% of our lands and 25% of our oceans by 2025, and 30% of each by 2030.

Healthy coasts and oceans
These indicators track progress on the 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, supporting the target: By 2020, 10% of coastal and marine areas are conserved through networks of marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. As of the end of 2021, 13.9% of Canada's coastal and marine areas was recognized as conserved through a network of marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, including 9.1% in protected areas.
These indicators are being proposed to track progress in the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

Sustainably managed lands and forests
These indicators track progress on the 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, supporting the target: By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial areas and inland water are conserved through networks of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. As of the end of 2021, 13.5% of Canada's terrestrial areas and inland water was recognized as conserved through a network of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, including 12.6% in protected areas.
These indicators are being proposed to track progress in the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.
In addition, the indicators contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They are linked to Goal 14, Life Below Water and Target 14.5, "By 2020, conserve at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information." They are also linked to Goal 15, Life on Land and Target 15.1, "By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements."
The indicators will also contribute towards reporting on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that is currently being negotiated.
Related indicators
The Ecological integrity of national parks indicator reports on the condition of ecosystems within national parks, an important element of Canada's conserved area network.
The Global trends in conserved areas indicator compares Canada's conserved area to a peer group of countries.
Data sources and methods
Data sources and methods
Data sources
Data are taken from the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (the database). Data from federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, the authoritative data sources, are compiled by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
More information
Protected areas and areas conserved with other measures
Protected areas together with other effective area-based conservation measures are referred to as conserved areas. Protected areas are areas recognized as meeting the international definition for a protected area. The International Union for Conservation of Nature defines a protected area as "a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values."
Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) must meet the Convention on Biodiversity definition to be recognized. The Convention on Biodiversity defines an "other effective area-based conservation measure" as "a geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in situ conservation of biodiversity."Footnote 6 Canada implements the Convention on Biodiversity's OECM definition in a manner that reflects national circumstances. Guidance for assessing sites as Protected Areas or OECMs in Canada is provided through the Pathway to Canada Target 1 Decision Support Tool.Footnote 7 Guidance for assessing federal marine OECMs is provided through the Marine OECM guidance.Footnote 8
Data description
The database contains data consolidated from all jurisdictions with responsibilities for conserved areas in Canada. Data are current as of December 31, 2021.
At least once each year, federal, provincial and territorial departments and agencies submit geospatial and ancillary data for conserved areas under their administrative control. Data on areas controlled by Indigenous or non-governmental organizations, such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada, are included where a jurisdiction has recognized and reported those areas.
The data include the name of the area, its geospatial location, boundaries, official area, biome (terrestrial/marine), International Union for Conservation of Nature management category, managing jurisdiction, and protection date, among other information.
In cases where the same attribute information does not apply to the entire conserved area, the area is divided into zones for reporting. For example, a single protected area that crosses a provincial border is divided into zones corresponding to the different provinces. Similarly, a protected area that is later expanded is treated as several zones, each with its own protection date. Terrestrial and marine sections are treated as separate zones; freshwater is included in the terrestrial zone. Ancillary data are maintained independently for each zone. Conserved areas that are undivided are treated as a single zone.
Work is ongoing to capture and incorporate data on additional privately held protected areas and on areas being conserved through means other than formal protection.
Jurisdictional area
- For Canada and for all provinces and territories except Quebec: Natural Resources Canada (2005) Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Land and freshwater area, by province and territory
- For Quebec: Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques
- Canada's marine territory: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (2013) departmental analysis based on National Resources Canada (2009) Atlas of Canada 1:1,000,000 National Frameworks Data, Administrative Boundaries
National boundaries
Natural Resources Canada (2019) CanVec Series 1:1,000,000 Geopolitical Region, Administrative Boundaries.
Ecozones and ecoregions
Environment and Climate Change Canada (2019) Canadian Terrestrial Ecological Framework. Marine ecozones are based on Fisheries and Oceans Canada (2016) Federal Marine Bioregions (Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Science Advisory Report 2009/056).
Methods
The area conserved is estimated by means of a geographical analysis based on reported boundaries, accounting for overlaps. Separate estimates are made for protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs).
More information
Calculating Canada's conserved area
The Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (the database) contains information on the protection (or conservation) date for each zone. For some zones, it also contains a delisting date.
To estimate the terrestrial protected area trend over time:
- All polygons representing terrestrial protected areas that were protected in 1990 or earlier were selected from the database
- The selected polygons were dissolved into a single polygon (removing overlaps), and the resulting area calculated using Albers Equal Area Conic projection
- The process was repeated for each subsequent year (delisted areas were removed from the analysis starting in the year they were delisted)
- Estimates were divided by the total terrestrial area of Canada to determine the proportion protected
To estimate the marine protected area, a similar process was followed, selecting protected marine polygons at each step. The process was repeated for OECMs, for both terrestrial and marine. Total area conserved was calculated by summing area protected and OECM area.
Within the database, 3% of sites have an unknown conservation date. If a polygon with an unknown conservation date was described as "interim," it was assigned a conservation date based on the year it was first reported to the database (1% of total sites); otherwise it was treated as having been conserved prior to 1990.
Terrestrial conserved areas, within each province and territory
The database contains information on the province or territory in which a conserved area is located. Using methodology similar to that used for reporting trends in the national indicator, for each province and territory, terrestrial protected area polygons were combined into a single polygon and the area calculated. The analysis was repeated for terrestrial OECMs. Only overlaps within a province or territory are removed. Overlaps between provinces and territories can occur, due to unavoidable uncertainties in spatial data. They are not accounted for in the table, Proportion of terrestrial area conserved, by province and territory.
Terrestrial and marine conserved areas, by reporting jurisdiction
The database also contains information on the jurisdiction responsible for each conserved area. As with the national indicator, for each jurisdiction, protected areas polygons were combined into a single polygon and the total area was calculated. Additional analysis was conducted to estimate the area for OECMs.
Conserved areas, by ecological area
The database does not contain information on ecological areas. To generate an estimate of conserved area within each ecozone and ecoregion, a geospatial analysis was conducted. However, national ecozone and ecoregion boundaries are more generalized than local conserved areas boundaries, and this has the potential to affect estimates in coastal areas. To avoid this problem, marine conserved area polygons that mapped outside a marine ecozone were assigned to the nearest marine ecozone. Similarly, terrestrial conserved areas that mapped outside a terrestrial ecozone were assigned to the nearest terrestrial ecozone. The steps followed were:
- A working layer containing generalized ecozone boundaries was developed
- Marine ecozone boundaries were copied from the national ecozone coverage, and marine ecozone polygons were extended inland to include adjacent terrestrial regions
- The marine protected area polygons were selected from the database
- The working layer and the marine protected area polygons were combined into a single layer
- Marine protected areas that crossed ecozone boundaries were divided at the boundary
- Protected area polygons were selected from the combined layer, and the overlap-corrected area was calculated for each generalized ecozone, resulting in marine areas being assigned to the correct ecozone
- The process was repeated for marine OECMs
- The process was repeated for terrestrial protected areas and terrestrial OECMs
To be consistent with the projection used in the database, the ecozone layer was re-projected to Albers Equal Area Conic. The total area of each ecozone was then calculated from its geospatial boundaries. The Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves ecozone area was corrected for the territorial area of St Pierre and Miquelon. The total area conserved per ecozone was divided by the total area of the ecozone in order to generate a percentage.
For the terrestrial ecoregion analysis, a geospatial analysis calculated the overlap-adjusted protected area and OECM area within each ecoregion. Terrestrial conserved areas falling outside the ecoregion boundaries were assigned to the nearest ecoregion.
Caveats and limitations
In 2018, the Conservation Areas Reporting and Tracking System was converted to the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database and brought formally within Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Data are regularly reviewed and updated. The completeness of the database is continuously being improved as existing conserved areas are reviewed and added to the database if appropriate. Information on the protection date for sites with previously unreported dates may influence trend calculations.
Trends are estimated based on the date a site was established, rather than the date when it was recognized as a Protected Area or other effective area-based conservation measure (OECM). As such, the totals for a previous year may change as data are updated.
Comparisons with previous reports should be made with caution, as data quality and completeness continue to improve. Privately protected land and OECMs contribute to achievement of Canada's targets, but many are not yet captured within the database.
More information
The area protected or conserved calculated using polygon boundaries may differ from the "official area" reported in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database.
Responsibility for source data accuracy and completeness lies with the jurisdictions. Jurisdictional work is guided by the federal, provincial and territorial report One with Nature (PDF; 2.12 MB). Guidance material and decision support tools were adapted from, and in collaboration with, the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas. Nonetheless, some differences in the approach jurisdictions take in recognizing protected areas and OECMs can be expected.
Areas that are no longer recognized as protected or conserved ("decommissioned" or "delisted") are not captured comprehensively and may be missing from the database. Decommissioned or delisted areas are counted from their establishment date until their delisting date.
Complex boundaries, such as coastlines and ecological areas, must be generalized for mapping purposes. In nature, ecozones or ecoregions do not have sharp boundaries. Due to the uncertainty of such boundaries, results should be seen as estimates rather than precise measurements. The mismatch in scale between conserved areas, mapped with fine detail, and national-scale geographic frameworks, mapped at a broad scale, may lead to minor differences across the various summaries because of the measurement uncertainty inherent in this type of analysis. Differences in the delineation of coastlines may result in a small amount of overlap between marine and terrestrial conserved area polygon boundaries; these overlaps have not been addressed.
Ecozones and ecoregions are ecologically based frameworks and should not be considered an expression of sovereignty. The 2019 updates to the ecozone and ecoregion frameworks have been completed for the purpose of reporting on ecological representation for the Pathway to Canada Target 1 initiative, and do not represent an official update of the 1995 National Ecological Framework. While the 2019 framework contains the most up-to-date information from jurisdictions, it should be noted that a different methodology was used by each data provider to determine the boundaries of the ecozones and ecoregions and that this national layer may differ from the provincial and territorial layers.
Protection is a designation, and the indicators do not provide information on the effectiveness of protection, the degree to which the ecological functioning of the area is intact, or the degree to which pressures outside a conserved area might affect the biodiversity within it. For example, an OECM such as a marine refuge restricts certain activities without limiting others.
Resources
Resources
References
Canadian Council on Ecological Areas Secretariat (2008) Canadian Guidebook for the Application of International Union for Conservation of Nature Protected Area Categories 2008. CCEA Occasional Paper No. 18. Canadian Council on Ecological Areas, Ottawa, ON. 66 pp.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (2009) Development of a Framework and Principles for the Biogeographic Classification of Canadian Marine Areas. Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Science Advisory Report 2009/056. Retrieved on March 7, 2022.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (2017) Operational Guidance for Identifying "Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures" in Canada's Marine Environment. Retrieved on March 7, 2022.
Pathway to Canada Target 1 Initiative (2018) One with Nature. A Renewed Approach to Land and Freshwater Conservation in Canada (PDF; 2.12 MB). Retrieved on March 7, 2022.
Stolton S, Shadie P and Dudley N (2013) Guidelines for applying protected area management categories including IUCN WCPA best practice guidance on recognising protected areas and assigning management categories and governance types (combined volume). Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 21, Gland, Switzerland, section 2. Retrieved on March 7, 2022.
Related information
2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada
Canadian Council on Ecological Areas
Convention on Biological Diversity
Interactive map of Quebec's protected areas (French only)
Infographic

Long description
The infographic presents information on Canada's conserved areas indicators. Conserved areas protect wild species and their habitats for future generations. A map of Canada shows the location of marine and terrestrial conserved areas. It also shows the location of the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area in Canada's arctic. At 319 411 km2, the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area is the largest protected area in Canada and it is equal to 5.5% of the total marine territory, or 40% of the marine area conserved.
Total area conserved in Canada has increased by 76% in the last 5 years.
At the end of 2021, Canada had conserved 13.9% (798 861 km2) of its marine territory and 13.5% (1 345 067 km2) of its terrestrial area (land and freshwater).
Canada is currently aiming to conserve 25% of our lands and 25% of our oceans by 2025, and 30% of each by 2030.
Examples of conserved areas include:
- Indigenous protected and conserved areas
- National wildlife areas
- National, provincial and territorial parks
- National marine conservation areas
- Marine refuges (marine example of an other effective area-based conservation measure)
- Marine Protected Areas
- Other effective area-based conservation measures
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