March 14, 2022 Edmonton, Alberta Parks Canada Agency
As Canadians, we know that green spaces in and around our cities are good for our health, good for wildlife, and good for the environment.
Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, together with the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of the City of Edmonton, Chief Tony Alexis, Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation and Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations representative, and Audrey Poitras, President of the Métis Nation of Alberta, announced the launch of the pre-feasibility phase to explore the creation of a national urban park in the Edmonton region.
Parks Canada and the City of Edmonton will work closely with Indigenous partners to ensure that a national urban park in the Edmonton region showcases Indigenous stewardship, voices and stories, and offers opportunities for connections to the land and water based on Indigenous Knowledge and values.
A national urban park in the Edmonton region would mean better access to quality green space for Edmontonians and promote better mental and physical wellbeing as people spend more time in nature. It would also create jobs, strengthen the local economy, and compliment the City of Edmonton's tourism.
For nature, urban green spaces provide habitat for animals, including species at risk, and can serve as crucial corridors for wildlife. They are great examples of nature-based climate solutions, helping to cool cities and absorb rain water during extreme weather events. They can contribute to Canada's climate change objectives by sequestering carbon, and to the Government of Canada's commitment to conserve 25 per cent of its lands and waters by 2025, working toward 30 percent by 2030.
The National Urban Parks Program, announced in August 2021, is the next step for Parks Canada whose history over 110 years has provided Canadians a system of national parks, including Rouge National Urban Park, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas.
