Canada puts forward 8 UNESCO recommendations

For the first time in more than a decade, Canada is adding to its list of UNESCO world heritage site candidates.

Canadians were asked to nominate locations for the prestigious designation in honour of Canada's 150th birthday.

Parks Canada, the government's representative for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization convention, received 42 applications. 

Then a seven-member ministerial advisory committee made up of natural and cultural heritage and conservation experts whittled the list down to eight sites for Canada's short list.

The candidates are:

• Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs (British Columbia).
• Stein Valley (British Columbia).
• Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Saskatchewan).
• Anticosti Island (Québec).
• Heart's Content Cable Station Provincial Historic Site (Newfoundland and Labrador).
• Qajartalik (Nunavut).
• Sirmilik National Park and the proposed Tallurutiup Imanga/Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area (Nunavut).
• Yukon Ice Patches (Yukon).

"These national treasures represent the very best that Canada has to offer from natural wonders and maritime heritage to Indigenous lands and culture. These places will showcase Canada to the world," said Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, who is minister responsible for Parks Canada.

The sites can now start on the long nomination process. UNESCO has the final say on whether a site receives the designation.

There are still six sites lingering on Canada's nomination list from back in 2004 when it was last updated. They include:

• Áísínai'pi (Writing-On-Stone) (Alberta).
• Pimachiowin Aki (Manitoba and Ontario).
• Gwaii Haanas (British Columbia).
• Ivvavik/Vuntut/Herschel Island (Yukon).
• Tr'ondëk Klondike (Yukon).
• Quttinirpaaq (Nunavut).

There are already 18 world heritage sites in Canada. The most recent addition was Mistaken Point in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2016.