Canada lagging on park creation, protection: report

Ahead of the 19th annual Parks Day, a conservation advocacy group says Canada needs to act faster to create new parklands and do more to protect those it already has.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society's annual report of national and provincial parks said the pace of parks creation across the country slowed significantly in the past 12 months compared to 2008, which it hailed as a "banner year."

Because of its sheer size, Canada still has more land dedicated to parks than any other country in the world.

But the report said Canada is not doing enough to protect ocean coastlines and preserve existing parks from growing stresses such as industrial and commercial development.

The country is also falling behind on its commitment to establish a network of marine protected areas by 2012, the report said, noting that not one new marine protected area has been announced in the past 12 months.

The report hailed the expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories to nearly seven times its original size.

But Alberta's Waterton National Park could soon have mining on its borders, while Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park is still being logged, it said.

Meanwhile, electrical lines could soon cross Newfoundland's Gros Morne National Park, and Quebec's Gatineau Park near Parliament Hill has no legal protection and is vulnerable to development.

"We are certainly seeing some progress in creating more parks and creating better management practices, but not enough, said CPAWS spokesperson Ellen Adelberg.

The Palmquist family spends a lot of time camping in the summer. Their favourite place is the Elk Island National Park near Edmonton.

"This is a lovely resource that we have and it should be protected," Ray Palmquist told CBC News. "I don't mind paying tax for something like this."

Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice, who is preparing for a canoe trip to Nahanni National Park Reserve this week, told CBC News he thinks the parks report recognizes some of the federal government's achievements. 

"The rating for the government of Canada, particularly in this year when the Nahanni park has been expanded, is very positive," he said.