Access to records reveals plans for a National Urban Park

Many of our supporters will know that CPAWS-OV submitted a petition to the House of Commons in back in 2022 to have the National Capital Greenbelt (NCGB) designated as a national urban park due to its immense potential as a refuge for wildlife around the city of Ottawa, as well as providing Ottawans safe access to nature and many other benefits. Since submitting the petition, little has been revealed in terms of intentions to create a national urban park within the Greenbelt, or anywhere specifically.

However, this is no longer the case thanks to Ottawa based researcher, and friend of CPAWS-OV, Ken Rubin. Rubin’s access to information request revealed that the Parks Canada has named the NCGB as the site for the new national urban park.

This designation would extend conservation efforts beyond sensitive areas like Stony Swamp and Mer Bleue Bog, offering opportunities for restoration, reforestation, and increased public access while preserving wildlife and biodiversity, says Rubin.

The initiative aligns with the federal government’s broader plan to establish a network of national urban parks, joining cities like Edmonton, Halifax, and Saskatoon. However, there are challenges to overcome: formalizing a statement of collaboration between NCC and Parks Canada, meaningful Indigenous involvement, integrating the NCC’s greenbelt master plan, and managing boundaries as national urban parks do not have legal designations like traditional national parks.

Additionally, pressures such as housing development, transportation routes, and utility corridors continue to threaten the greenbelt’s integrity. While environmentalists support the proposal, concerns remain about the lack of transparency and public involvement in the planning process. The designation could provide significant environmental protections, better conservation, and increased public enjoyment—if the public is allowed to participate.

Read the full article here: Rubin: Make the Ottawa greenbelt a ‘national urban park’ | Ottawa Citizen

Read the NCC’s National Capital Greenbelt Master Plan here: https://ncc-website-2.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/final-2013-greenbelt-master-plan-en.pdf