Thousand Islands National Park Expansion

Summary#

The federal government made the Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Canada National Parks Act to add land to Thousand Islands National Park. The Order came into force when it was registered on November 25, 2022.

What it does#

• Amends Schedule 1 to the Canada National Parks Act to change the official description and boundaries of Thousand Islands National Park.
• Adds a set of land parcels (identified in the Order) to the park. The Order lists 80 parcels.
• The federal text contains two different area figures for the added lands:
  • the Order’s land description totals 1,856.149 hectares (18.561 square kilometres), and
  • the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement describes the addition as about 9.3 km2. The source document includes both numbers; it is not explicit which is the authoritative total.
• Confirms that these lands have already been held and managed by Parks Canada since 2006, and formalizes their status so the Canada National Parks Act and its regulations can be applied.

Who's affected#

• Local communities and visitors to Thousand Islands National Park. The park is within a three-hour drive of 15 million Canadians (as stated in the document).
• Parks Canada, which will be able to enforce the Act’s rules on the newly listed lands.
• The Mohawks of Akwesasne and other Indigenous partners who have been involved in consultation; the record shows previous engagement and no registered objections.
• Conservation groups and anyone interested in habitat protection for species at risk in the region.
• The Government of Ontario, which had previously agreed to the use of the lands for park expansion.

Why it matters#

• Formal listing in Schedule 1 means the lands will be managed and protected under the Canada National Parks Act, allowing enforceable rules (for example, around hunting and habitat protection) to apply there.
• The added lands are described as important habitat and a corridor in the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, helping protect species at risk and connect otherwise fragmented ecosystems.
• The Order mostly formalizes protections for lands already in federal control and is described in the document as unlikely to affect local businesses, since no economic activities were taking place on the parcels.