Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database
This is a database of protected and other conserved areas.
Introduction
The Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) contains the most up to date spatial and attribute data on marine and terrestrial protected areas (PA) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECM) in Canada. CPCAD is compiled and managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), in collaboration with federal, provincial, territorial jurisdictions, and other data providers.
CPCAD is used by a wide range of organizations, including governments, Environmental Non-Government Organizations, academia, land managers, industry, and the public.
CPCAD supports:
- Canada’s national reporting on protected areas through:
- Canada’s international reporting on protected areas as a result of Canada’s commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity through:
- Canada’s National Reports to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
- the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)
- Canada’s protected areas program by providing baseline information for:
- the design and expansion of protected areas networks
- species at risk, critical habitat, and integrated conservation planning
- other assessments, analysis, and visualizations by diverse users
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Background information
CPCAD partnerships
The CPCAD database evolved from the Conservation Areas Reporting and Tracking System (CARTS). CARTS was jointly managed between Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA). CCEA developed the original tools and guidance to recognize and report on protected areas. Since 2018, CPCAD has been compiled and managed by ECCC in partnership with the data providers.
CPCAD data providers include, amongst others, all provinces and territories, as well as federal agencies that manage protected or conserved areas:
- Parks Canada Agency
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- National Capital Commission
In 2022, some new contributors were added, including:
- Capital Regional District of British Columbia
- Canadian Border Services Agency
- Natural Resources Canada
- National Research Council Canada
CPCAD is currently endorsed by the Pathway to Canada Target 1 initiative.
Data and resources
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GIS data access
The CPCAD geospatial data can be used and accessed with Geographic Information System (GIS) software that supports ESRI file geodatabases (.gdb) such as ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Desktop, and QGIS. It can also be accessed through ESRI REST Web Mapping Services available on the Open Government Portal.
December 2022 CPCAD file geodatabaseFootnote 1
For historical CPCAD data please email: scf-geocarto-cws-geomapping@ec.gc.ca
Statistics
| Region | Baseline area Footnote 2 (km2) | PA (km2) | OECM (km2) | Total (km2) | PA (%) | OECM (%) | Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National terrestrial |
9,984,670 |
1,264,077 |
90,953 |
1,355,029 |
12.7 |
0.9 |
13.6 |
Alberta |
661,848 |
102,107 |
0 |
102,107 |
15.4 |
0.0 |
15.4 |
British Columbia |
944,735 |
146,590 |
38,476 |
185,066 |
15.5 |
4.1 |
19.6 |
Manitoba |
647,797 |
71,326 |
231 |
71,557 |
11.0 |
0.0 |
11.0 |
New Brunswick |
72,908 |
7,109 |
85 |
7,194 |
9.8 |
0.1 |
9.9 |
Newfoundland and Labrador |
405,212 |
28,143 |
0 |
28,143 |
6.9 |
0.0 |
6.9 |
Northwest Territories |
1,346,106 |
173,140 |
39,181 |
212,321 |
12.9 |
2.9 |
15.8 |
Nova Scotia |
55,284 |
7,211 |
84 |
7,294 |
13.0 |
0.2 |
13.2 |
Nunavut |
2,093,190 |
213,052 |
0 |
213,052 |
10.2 |
0.0 |
10.2 |
Ontario |
1,076,395 |
116,853 |
43 |
116,896 |
10.9 |
0.0 |
10.9 |
Prince Edward Island |
5,660 |
233 |
38 |
271 |
4.1 |
0.7 |
4.8 |
Quebec |
1,512,418 |
254,002 |
5 |
254,007 |
16.8 |
0.0 |
16.8 |
Saskatchewan |
651,036 |
51,031 |
12,812 |
63,843 |
7.8 |
2.0 |
9.8 |
Yukon |
482,443 |
93,320 |
0 |
93,320 |
19.3 |
0.0 |
19.3 |
National marineFootnote 3 |
5,750,000 |
524,311 |
318,517 |
842,828 |
9.1 |
5.5 |
14.7 |
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