Environment Canada establishes marine and terrestrial National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) for the purposes of conservation, research and interpretation. These areas are established to protect migratory birds, species at risk, and other wildlife and their habitat. National Wildlife Areas are established under the authority of the Canada Wildlife Act and are, first and foremost, places for wildlife.
There are 54 National Wildlife Areas in total across Canada, all of which possess nationally significant habitats for animals or plants. These 54 NWAs protect approximately 1 million hectares of both in-land and marine habitats. The federal government plays a central role in conserving this natural wealth and its biodiversity by protecting habitat of national ecological importance.
Environment Canada is one of three federal departments mandated to protect habitat, and it achieves this by conserving and protecting migratory birds, species at risk and other species of national interest. Although not all NWAs are suitable for public access due to their ecological sensitivity, some selected sites can be managed to ensure that any public activities do not interfere with the conservation of wildlife.
As part of the National Conservation Plan, Environment Canada will be investing a total of $8 million over five years, and $725,000 on an ongoing basis in 10 National Wildlife Areas across Canada.
The following 10 National Wildlife Areas were selected based on proximity to urban areas and their suitability for increased public access:
- Alaksen (35 km from Vancouver, BC)
- Vaseux-Bighorn (80 km from Kelowna, BC)
- Last Mountain Lake (140 km from Regina, SK)
- Big Creek and Long Point (67 km from Woodstock, ON)
- Prince Edward Point (70 km from Belleville, ON)
- Cap Tourmente (50 km from Quebec City, QC)
- Lac Saint François (120 km from Montreal, QC)
- Cape Jourimain (95 km from Moncton, NB; 70 km from Charlottetown, PEI)
- Shepody (46 km from Moncton, NB)
- Chignecto (200 km from Halifax, NS, 80 km from Moncton)
- A key pillar of Canada’s new National Conservation Plan is to connect Canadians with nature.
- Since 2006, we have added an area nearly twice the size of Vancouver Island to the network of federal protected areas. This includes establishing 3 National Wildlife Areas, bringing the total to 54 across Canada.
- National Wildlife Areas can only be designated on lands owned by the federal government.
- More than 85% of this network of protected areas is classified as wilderness areas under the International Union for Conservation of nature’s (IUCN’s) protected areas management system
- Wildlife and wildlife habitat are vital to ecological and biological processes that are essential to the preservation of life.
- Conserving these ecological processes is essential for fresh water, clean air, protected soil resources, climate regulation, the capture and storage of carbon as well as pest and disease control, among other valuable functions.
For more information, visit Environment Canada’s website.
