Environmental petitions – Ministerial Q&A
Environmental Petitions - Ministerial Q&A
Over the past year, our team has been working hard to collect signatures on our Federal environmental petitions for the National Capital Greenbelt and the Gatineau Park, seeking National Urban Park status to ensure the protection of these Parks for generations to come. Once the required amount of signatures have been collected, we can then submit the petition to the house of commons through a member of parliament. You may have seen that we recently had our Gatineau Park petition submitted before the House of Commons by Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel.
In addition, CPAWS-OV submitted questions to the House of Commons regarding these petitions. Here, we would like to share with you our questions and the responses we received as a way to share insights into our work with our supporters.
Questions:
Question 1: For the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in his capacity as Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change, and Minister responsible for Parks Canada:
Given the fact that the National Capital Greenbelt meets all the criteria for National Urban Park designation, when will the legislation be tabled in Parliament to establish a NUP for the National Capital Region that includes this Greenbelt?
Response:
The 2021 federal budget committed to the creation of up to six national urban parks, and Parks Canada has begun work at candidate sites. Collaborative work is under way in Greater Victoria, British Columbia; the Edmonton region, Alberta; the Saskatoon region, Saskatchewan; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Windsor, Ontario; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Parks Canada is also in exploratory conversations in Montréal, Quebec. Parks Canada is presently focused on advancing those candidate sites. The December 2021 mandate letter for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change increased the program’s scope by committing to create up to 15 national urban parks by 2030.
While Parks Canada is exploring opportunities for expanding this program, no decisions have been taken about new candidate sites for national urban parks. Parks Canada will share information about any program expansion once it is available.
Officials from the National Capital Commission and Parks Canada have had initial discussions about exploring a possible national urban park in Ottawa. While officials have had preliminary conversations in that regard, these are only exploratory at this point. No decision has been made to pursue a national urban park in Ottawa, and Parks Canada has not signed a statement of collaboration to work with the National Capital Commission or any other partner.
Question 2: For the Minister of Public Services and Procurement in his capacity as Minister response for the National Capital Commission:
Will the Minister support having the National Capital Greenbelt designated as a NUP and what steps will the Minister undertake to provide the assistance required to achieve an NUP? If not, why not?
Response:
The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening the protection of green spaces, wetlands and environments with biodiversity value in the National Capital Region. In alignment with this federal priority, the National Capital Commission (NCC) strives to ensure a more sustainable ecological footprint through the protection and conservation of the region’s green spaces, including the National Capital Greenbelt.
The role of the NCC, as defined by the National Capital Act, is “to prepare plans for and assist in the development, conservation and improvement of the National Capital Region in order that the nature and character of the seat of the Government of Canada may be in accordance with its national significance.” The corporation fulfills this role through its responsibilities to set the long-term planning direction for federal lands in the National Capital Region, regulate the use and development of federal lands in the National Capital Region, as well as manage, conserve and protect the NCC’s cultural and natural assets.
Officials from the NCC and Parks Canada have had initial discussions about exploring a possible national urban park in Ottawa. While officials have had preliminary conversations regarding the possibility of a national urban park in Ottawa, these are only exploratory at this point. No decision has been made to pursue a national urban park in Ottawa and Parks Canada has not signed a statement of collaboration to work with the NCC or any other partner. The Government of Canada continues to explore different ways to champion environmental sustainability, climate resilience, conservation and the protection of the National Capital Greenbelt and other greenspaces in the National Capital Region for the lasting enjoyment of future generations of Canadians.
Question 3: For the Minister of Public Services and Procurement in his capacity as Minister response for the National Capital Commission and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in his capacity as Minister responsible for Environment and Climate Change, and Minister responsible for Parks Canada:
When will the boundaries of the National Capital Greenbelt be confirmed?
Response:
The Government of Canada and the National Capital Commission (NCC) recognize the importance of ensuring that natural and cultural resources are promoted and protected for current and future generations. In support of the commitment to conserve nature and connect people with greenspaces across the National Capital Region, the Government of Canada will explore ways to minimize the pressures of urban development and externalities from other land uses in the National Capital Greenbelt.
The protection and conservation of this ecologically diverse greenspace is vital to ensuring its health and sustained access for residents and visitors of the National Capital Region.