Parks Canada

Parks Canada is an organization that manages canals and national parks across Canada.

As of November 2023, the organization manages nine canals, including the Rideau Canal, the Trent-Severn Waterway, and the Lachine Canal. The agency employs park wardens and staff to manage wildlife safety, track animals, and conduct conservation efforts.

The name appears in the Lakehead University Alumni Spotlight profiles of Kim Titchener and Darlene Upton.

In Anishinabek News

• July 2014: The agency manages Pukaskwa National Park, where Biigtigong Nishnaabeg has proposed a new hydroelectric facility. The agency hosts 26 power stations at the Trent Severn National Park and other facilities in western Canada.
• December 2015: Officials from this agency have met with Biigtigong Nishnaabeg to discuss a proposed hydro project in Pukaskwa National Park. The First Nation noted that this agency has a hydro power division and has allowed similar projects in other national parks.
• March 2016: The agency employs Sean Corbeil as a heritage interpreter who works with archaeologists.
• April 2016: The agency operates a species at risk program that has employed technicians from Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. The organization worked with Anthony Chegahno to coordinate environmental efforts with Indigenous communities.
• December 2020: The agency partnered with local First Nations to rename a section of Point Pelee National Park as part of a shift toward inclusive history. The agency signed an agreement to fund interpretive content and archaeological research for the Caldwell First Nation.
• May 2021: Dan Couchie was employed by this agency after graduating from his post-secondary studies.
• July 2021: The agency worked with the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association to share the stories of survivors of the Shingwauk Indian Residential School. The agency manages the National Program of Historical Commemoration which designates sites of national significance in Canada.
• September 2023: The Anishinabek Nation intended to reach out to the agency to discuss the proper cleaning and protection of Mazinaw Rock.
• September 2024: The agency's excavation for a visitor centre in Nipigon unearthed the remains of at least four Indigenous ancestors. Approximately 150 loads of earth containing remains were moved before the agency realized the extent of the burial site.
• October 2024: The agency failed to have an archaeologist on site during excavation for a new visitor centre in Nipigon, leading to the disturbance of four ancestors. The organisation allegedly did not follow its own protocols outlined in the document Unearthing the Law during the construction project. The agency is being held accountable by Red Rock Indian Band for providing unclear information about where displaced soil containing remains was transported.
• October 2024: The agency is constructing a $37 million administration and visitor centre for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area in Nipigon. Construction at the site led to the discovery and displacement of the remains of four Indigenous ancestors in May 2024. The agency stated that archaeological assessments and test pits were reviewed as part of the project's impact assessment requirements.
• November 2024: Chief Michele Solomon referenced a flawed process by the agency in Nipigon that resulted in the unearthing of 600-year-old Indigenous ancestral remains.
• November 2024: The agency was criticized for unearthing ancestral remains in the traditional territory of Red Rock Indian Band. The Anishinabek Nation called for the agency to be held accountable for disrupting burial sites and producing inaccurate statements about the incident. Trust was reportedly broken between the agency and the First Nation due to a lack of accountability regarding the Nipigon marina waterfront.
• January 2025: Parks Canada received jurisdiction over lands in the Duffins Creek watershed in January 2025 to facilitate the expansion of Rouge National Urban Park. The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation called for Parks Canada to develop a harvesting agreement aligned with the Williams Treaties Settlement Agreement.
• February 2025: Sophie Grawbarger intends to work for Parks Canada following the conclusion of her university hockey career.
• September 2025: The agency is building a $37 million Administration and Visitor Centre for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Excavation at its project site in May 2024 led to the discovery of First Nations ancestral remains.
• January 2026: The agency was part of a formal working group that contributed expertise to discussions about the Samuel de Champlain Monument.
• February 2026: Parks Canada conducted several archaeological digs at the location of YMCA Camp Kitchikewana. The agency recovered artifacts thousands of years old from the region.