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Minister’s Message

As the Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency, I am pleased to present to Canadians this report providing an overview of last year’s achievements. The period covered by this report was a very exciting one, as we celebrated the 125^th anniversary of Canada’s first national park, Banff, and set the stage for the celebrations of the world’s first national service dedicated to parks—Parks Canada, created in 1911 as the Dominion Parks Branch.

The efforts invested in 2010/11 have proven fruitful, particularly in the development and promotion of our national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas, which are all key drivers in Canada’s efforts to showcase our country’s vibrant natural and cultural heritage, to protect the health of our planet and to stimulate our national, regional and local economies.

Important projects have come to fruition during this period. For example, in June 2010, Canada welcomed the establishment of the only place on earth to be protected from the alpine mountain tops to the depths of the ocean—Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. Our government also recognized and celebrated 35 Canadian persons, places or events for their contribution to shaping the country’s identity, history and society, including Pointe-du-Buisson National Historic Site of Canada, a favoured portage and camp site for Aboriginal peoples; the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre National Historic Site of Canada, an important place of memory for the Japanese-Canadian community; and Mona Gordon Wilson, whose work laid the foundation for the province of Prince Edward Island’s public health program.

We also led projects to enhance the health of the ecosystems within the Parks Canada network as well as the state and commemorative quality of historic places, while carrying on many initiatives as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to enhance visitor facilities in national historic sites and national parks, clean contaminated sites and create jobs in all regions of Canada.

As this report highlights, Parks Canada is still as current and pertinent as it was one hundred years ago. Working hand in hand with Canadians, Canadian organizations, international partners and Aboriginal communities, Parks Canada spans the nation, protecting our diverse and spectacular natural places, telling the fascinating history of our nation, and facilitating adventure, escape, revitalization and discovery. And it’s all ours to be proud of, to enjoy and pass on to the next generation.

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Chief Executive Officer’s Message

It is with pride that I submit the Performance Report of the Parks Canada Agency for 2010/11. This reporting period starts with the launch of the celebrations for the 125^th anniversary of Canada’s first national park, Banff National Park, and ends with the dawn of a year of celebrations marking the centennial of the Dominion Parks Branch, as Parks Canada was originally called in 1911.

Over this period, Parks Canada has paid a well-deserved tribute to Banff National Park and the inspiration it represents for all outdoor enthusiasts, all conservationists and all Canadians concerned about what the future holds for our children. Protected areas such as Banff and all of our treasured national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas play an essential role in our lives. These places are not just ecological samples or historical relics; they are part and parcel of our Canadian existence, connecting our hearts and minds to the very essence of Canada, to the fundamentals of what it means to be Canadian.

In all regions of Canada, our team is working to maintain the ecological and commemorative health of our protected places and to expand the network to include more of Canada’s unique natural regions and historic resources. This report highlights the steps taken towards the permanent protection of Gwaii Haanas, Bathurst Island, Mealy Mountains, Sable Island, and Lancaster Sound; towards the recovery of species at risk populations, such as the piping plover; the restoration of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; and for the commemoration of Parks Canada’s centennial. We have also upgraded and refurbished visitor facilities and national historic sites, mainly through Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

As initially planned by Parks Canada’s first Commissioner, J.B. Harkin, we are still guided by an integrated approach to conservation, visitation, education and recreation at our protected heritage areas. The 2010/11 period was characterized by innovation in reaching out to younger and more urban audiences, with new projects such as Canada’s Greatest Summer Job and My Parks Pass, and through an increased presence in the broadcast and social media.

To top off the year, our efforts in protecting the living planet have been recognized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), who awarded us the Gift to the Earth. This is the highest accolade for conservation work one can receive and we proudly accepted this prize as we embark on a second century of caring for Canada’s treasured places.

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Section 1: Parks Canada Agency Overview

Raison d’être

Responsibilities

Parks Canada manages national parks, national marine conservation areas and national historic sites on behalf of Canadians. Parks Canada is a proud steward of these heritage places and protects and presents them for the benefit and enjoyment of Canadians, while ensuring that they remain unimpaired for present and future generations.

As the first national park service in the world and celebrating its centennial in 2011, Parks Canada has played, and continues to play, a vital role in the development of a system of national parks representative of the diversity of natural regions and landscapes of Canada. Similarly, national marine conservation areas represent Canada’s marine regions spanning its three oceans and the Great Lakes. Parks Canada is mandated to protect the ecological integrity of national parks and foster the sustainable use of national marine conservation areas. In carrying out its responsibilities, Parks Canada works in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, stakeholders and neighbouring communities.

Each national historic site tells its own story and contributes to our understanding of Canada as a whole. They are special places where visitors can learn about the persons and events that shaped Canada as we know it today and where they can experience Canada’s history. Parks Canada strives to ensure that the system of national historic sites—comprised of places, persons and events of national historic significance— fully reflects the country’s rich history. The system is developed in collaboration with Canadians to define important aspects of Canada’s history.

Today, national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas offer to Canadians a variety of recreational activities and learning experiences as well as a unique opportunity to personally connect with these heritage places. There are more than 20 million person-visits annually to the heritage places administered by Parks Canada.

In addition, some of Parks Canada’s activities are focussed on formal designations by the Government of Canada and, where mandated, provide support for the conservation and presentation of designated heritage properties that are managed by others. These include many historic sites, heritage railway stations, heritage lighthouses, federal heritage buildings, archaeological sites, the gravesites of Canadian Prime Ministers and Canadian heritage rivers. Parks Canada shows leadership in the conservation of built heritage through the Parks Canada National Historic Sites of Canada Cost-Sharing Program, a contribution program for non-federally-owned national historic sites.

Parks Canada also contributes to international heritage conservation through its leadership and participation in international conventions, programs and agreements, notably the World Heritage Convention.

 

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture

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¹ It should be noted that the Historic Places Initiative Class Contribution Program ended on March 31, 2010. Parks Canada maintains the Canadian Register of Historic Places (CRHP) on an ongoing basis.

Organizational Priorities

Priority	Typei	Program Activity
Establishing National Parks and National Marine Conservation Areas	Ongoing	Heritage Places Establishment
Status
Parks Canada made demonstrable progress in three unrepresented terrestrial natural regions with its work on the Bathurst Island, Thaidene Nene (East Arm of Great Slave Lake) and Mealy Mountain proposals. Parks Canada also increased the number of represented marine regions from three to five with the establishment of the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, which includes representative features from two distinct marine regions, as well as made demonstrable progress in three unrepresented marine regions with the Lancaster Sound and Gwaii Haanas proposals.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Advancing Ecological Integrity Results on the Ground in Canada’s National Parks	Previously committed to	Heritage Resources Conservation
Status
Parks Canada met its objective of investing in Action on the Ground projects to improve the ecological integrity of national parks. These active management and restoration projects are aimed at addressing the most pressing ecological integrity issues in targeted national parks. Examples of ecosystem restoration projects currently underway are stream restoration, species recovery, population management, and prescribed fires, all of which will contribute to maintaining and improving ecological integrity.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Investing Strategically in Historic Assets	Previously committed to	Heritage Resources Conservation
Status
Parks Canada met its objective of making targeted investments in the national historic sites it administers, paying particular attention to improving the condition of cultural resources in poor condition so that they remain unimpaired for future generations. Many of the improvements to the built heritage of national historic sites were made possible through additional funding from Canada’s Economic Action Plan, and contributed to an increase in the overall commemorative integrity rating to 6.8/10, surpassing the 2013 target of 6.6.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Increasing Canadians’ Connection with Parks Canada Places	Previously committed to	Public Appreciation and Understanding
Status
Parks Canada met its objective of undertaking initiatives to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Banff National Park and the Agency’s centennial of becoming the world’s first park service organization. Parks Canada was instrumental in the production of a commemorative book showcasing national parks. The Canadian Mint issued a silver coin featuring elements of Banff National Park as well as a silver dollar marking the Agency’s 100th anniversary. The Agency also participated in Canada’s Capital Region’s Winterlude festival and was honoured at the festival’s opening night gala. Canada Post will issue a centennial stamp later in 2012. Special events in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver will be rolled out during 2011/12.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Improving Visitor Experience	Previously committed to	Visitor Experience
Status
Parks Canada undertook targeted initiatives to improve the quality of visitor experience opportunities and the desirability of national heritage places as travel destinations. The Agency trained employees on quality service standards, diversified accommodation offers, and maintained the freeze on admission fees that was introduced in 2009. Parks Canada upgraded visitor facilities and introduced new recreational activities and initiatives to connect with youth and new Canadians. The Agency enhanced its presence in travel media with feature stories in magazines and newspapers. Parks Canada also made national passes available for purchase online in 2010/11.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
National Historic Site Renewal	Previously committed to	Public Appreciation and Understanding Visitor Experience
Status
Parks Canada’s National Historic Site Renewal strategy aims to enhance the relevance of the sites the Agency administers. Parks Canada continued to raise awareness among Canadians of their national historic sites through stories of broad appeal that were featured in national print, online and broadcast media. The Agency also leveraged its reach through strategic partnering and introduced new visitor activities at national historic sites.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Canada’s Economic Action Plan	New	Heritage Resources Conservation Visitor Experience Townsite and Throughway Infrastructure
Status
Parks Canada met its objective of delivering more than 360 projects worth $281.8 million over a two-year period (2009/10 and 2010/11) under Canada’s Economic Action Plan. Internal audits conducted throughout the period confirmed that the initiative was managed effectively and with financial probity.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Asset Management	Previously committed to	Heritage Resources Conservation Visitor Experience Townsite and Throughway Infrastructure
Status
Between April 2009 and March 2011, Parks Canada focussed its efforts on delivering on the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan commitments to maintain or improve infrastructure to support conservation and visitor experience activities. The Agency also conducted a workshop to address the recommendations from the 2009 Evaluation of Parks Canada’s Asset Management Program and initiated the development of new governance systems, internal policies, standards and procedures to comply with the new Treasury Board policies on Investment Planning – Assets and Acquired Services and the Management of Projects.

Priority	Type	Program Activity
Renewing the Parks Canada Workforce	Previously committed to	Internal Services
Status
Parks Canada strengthened its efforts to recruit and retain qualified employees to build a workforce more reflective of the diversity of the Canadian population. Parks Canada developed standardized statements of qualifications to help recruit employees in support of the Agency’s renewal initiatives, as well as designed a new performance management process for middle managers, while increasing the number of managers and supervisors who participated in mandatory management training courses. Parks Canada also decreased the gap between the four employment equity groups and their availability on the labour market, resulting in a workforce more representative of the Canadian population.

Risk Analysis

Each year, Parks Canada reviews and updates its Corporate Risk Profile. In 2010/11, the Agency identified four key corporate risks: Competitive Position, Environmental Forces, Information Management and Delivery and Management of Infrastructure Projects, and developed strategies to mitigate these risks. Parks Canada actively manages and monitors the implementation of these strategies throughout the year.

During this period, Parks Canada also continued to improve its risk management practices. The Agency strengthened the identification of corporate risks by integrating environmental scanning into the process and incorporated risk management into the business planning process. In addition, risk management has been further integrated into decision-making processes whereby submissions brought forward for senior management approval must include an assessment of the risk associated with them. Because of the significant funding received through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Parks Canada also enhanced the requirement for, and use of, risk information at the project management level to inform decisions on projects and to ensure the achievement of expected results.

Parks Canada’s efforts at mitigating its key corporate risks are presented in the following paragraphs.

Key Risk 1: Competitive position

Parks Canada is one of many organizations offering places of natural and cultural interest to Canadians. The risk exists that Parks Canada’s offer could become less competitive than that of other parks, cultural attractions and leisure activities, with the result that fewer Canadians would choose to visit these national heritage places and connect with them on a personal level. In addition, national heritage places are important components of local and regional tourism offers. Reduced visitation to these places affects the communities that are inherently linked to them through fewer employment and business opportunities to serve visitors, such as restaurants, hotels and outfitters.

In 2010/11, Parks Canada continued its renewal agenda, which aims to increase the Agency’s relevance to Canadians by raising the importance of national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas in the everyday lives of Canadians. As part of this agenda, Parks Canada embarked on a number of Agency-wide initiatives designed to expose Canadians to the spirit, wonder and awe of Canada’s national heritage places and the Agency responsible for them, and to stimulate their desire to visit these places. Examples of these initiatives include the integration of Parks Canada’s brand identity into its programs and publications, the introduction of new recreational activities and accommodations for the 2010 summer season, employee training in quality visitor experience and service standards, and partnering with external organizations to extend Parks Canada’s reach.

Despite Canada’s economic uncertainty in 2010/11, overall visitation to Parks Canada’s natural and cultural heritage places was relatively stable, declining only two percent from 2009/10. Visitation increased two percent at national parks and decreased nine percent at national historic sites, compared to the year before. Some of the decrease is explained by operational closures and/or restricted access at national parks and national historic sites due to construction, renovations and upgrades to visitor-related infrastructure and facilities supported by the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

Key Risk 2: Environmental Forces

An increasing number of species at risk, invasive alien species, the emerging impacts of climate change, and the effects of habitat degradation and biodiversity loss outside of national parks have been identified as key risks that may affect the ability of the Agency to maintain and improve the ecological integrity of national parks.

To mitigate these risks, Parks Canada funded and implemented a number of priority Action on the Ground projects that will contribute to the improvement of ecological integrity in targeted national parks. In addition, Parks Canada is working to protect and recover species at risk, and has streamlined the recovery planning process so that conservation actions can be undertaken more quickly and effectively.

To mitigate the risk of invasive alien species, Parks Canada works within the framework of the Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada. Several parks have implemented strategies to manage invasive species and to restore native species composition, including the prairie restoration program in Grasslands National Park and the terrestrial ecosystem restoration project in Waterton Lakes National Park. Work is ongoing to continue to mitigate the risks associated with environmental forces and to improve the Agency’s ability to maintain ecological integrity in the face of these risks.

Key Risk 3: Information management

The ability to effectively identify, capture, manage and report pertinent data and information is crucial for Parks Canada to effectively manage all program areas and meet legal requirements. To ensure sustained capacity in this regard, Parks Canada established an Enterprise Information Committee that guided the development of the Agency’s long-term, strategic Information Management, Systems and Technology Plan 2011 to 2015. This strategic plan provides the framework required to ensure that annual information management objectives are appropriately determined in order to mitigate risks, while also ensuring that related investments are directly linked to the fulfillment of the Agency’s mandate and to the achievement of its corporate priorities.

Parks Canada continued to make positive advances in responding to the actions outlined in its response to the 2009 Information Management Audit. Specifically, the Agency advanced activities for Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) with a focus on procedures, systems for managing requests, and training for managers and employees. Additionally, Parks Canada delivered training sessions on information management awareness, ATIP and protection of sensitive information to target staff.

Parks Canada completed disposition procedures for some common administrative records and published material that will be implemented throughout 2011/12.

In its initiative to establish a collaborative technology platform that will facilitate the appropriate management of electronic information resources, the Agency completed the implementation of the enabling foundational technical environment. Over the course of the next two years, this platform will be made available to Parks Canada employees to meet their business requirements and facilitate the effective management of their electronic information resources.

Parks Canada continued to collaborate with Library and Archives Canada working towards establishing a Records Disposition Authority for the Agency. Substantial progress is expected in 2011/12.

Key Risk 4: Delivery and Management of Infrastructure Projects

Prior to the launch of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Parks Canada managed an ongoing, multi-year recapitalization investment program, establishing investment priorities through the Long-term Capital Planning Process Directive.

While the funding received from Canada’s Economic Action Plan offered significant opportunities, the tight schedule within which these major projects were delivered presented challenges. To ensure the effective management and timely delivery of expected results from the investments in visitor facilities and cultural resources in national parks and national historic sites, Parks Canada enhanced existing governance structures, putting in place a robust governance framework for the Economic Action Plan initiative. The Agency established a Canada’s Economic Action Plan Steering Committee, composed of senior management officials, which provided strategic management and oversight and ensured that the initiative achieved its established objectives.

Parks Canada developed a framework for the mitigation of key corporate risks for the delivery and management of infrastructure projects and communicated it to staff involved in the delivery of Canada’s Economic Action Plan projects. The framework was used to determine mitigation strategies and actions to address emerging risks to project delivery.

To strengthen the management of Canada’s Economic Action Plan projects, Parks Canada developed a special-purpose project tracking database that recorded the progress of projects at four sequential stages: Initiation, Planning, Execution and Evaluation/Closure. Each stage culminated in a formal review and approval of the project.

Internal audits provided senior management with assurance that processes were in place to ensure effective project management. Parks Canada conducted four waves of audits on 28 Canada’s Economic Action Plan projects between November 2009 and November 2010. An auditor reviewed each project against approximately 70 audit criteria. On average, projects were found to be between 89 and 100 percent compliant. A key objective of the audits was to use their observations to foster continuous improvement in Parks Canada processes, policies and practices.

Performance Summary

Financial Resources
2010/11 ($000s)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
804,955	937,570	885,716

Human Resources
2010/11 (Full-time Equivalent)
Planned	Actual	Difference
4,450	4,710	260

Parks Canada’s total authorities include $805 million acquired through the Main Estimates process, and $132.6 million provided through the Supplementary Estimates, the refund of statutory requirements and amounts appropriated over a two-year period, for a total of $937.6 million. This additional amount primarily represents funding received through Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

Strategic Outcome

Canadians have a strong sense of connection, through meaningful experiences, to their national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas and these protected places are enjoyed in ways that leave them unimpaired for present and future generations.

Performance Indicator, Target and Date

• Maintain or improve the overall ecological integrity in all national parks from March 2008 to March 2013
• Improve the overall average commemorative integrity rating from 6.0/10 in March 2008 to 6.6/10 in March 2013
• 65 percent of Canadians report a personal connection to Parks Canada administered places by March 2014

Full details on Parks Canada’s performance in relation to these performance indicators are presented in Section 2 of this report.

Program Activity	2009/10 Actual Spending ($000s)	2010/11ii ($000s)				Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
		Main Estimates	Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
1: Heritage Places Establishment	15,240	24,311	24,311	32,742	21,686	Clean and Healthy Environment; Vibrant Canadian Culture and Heritage
2: Heritage Resources Conservation	191,926	240,482	240,482	241,313	215,947	Clean and Healthy Environment; Vibrant Canadian Culture and Heritage
3: Public Appreciation and Understanding	54,165	29,371	29,371	51,052	50,823	Clean and Healthy Environment; Vibrant Canadian Culture and Heritage
4: Visitor Experience	274,984	267,901	267,901	337,640	347,803*	Clean and Healthy Environment; Vibrant Canadian Culture and Heritage
5: Townsite and Throughway Infrastructure	153,628	161,344	161,344	181,920	162,422	Safe and Secure Communities
Total	689,943	723,409	723,409	844,667	798,680

* Note: In Program Activity 4 Visitor Experience, actual spending exceeds authorities due to internal realignment of programs and priorities. Total Agency authorities were not exceeded.

Totals may not agree due to rounding.

Program Activity	2009/10 Actual Spending ($000s)	2010/11 ($000s)
		Main Estimates	Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
Internal Services	87,830	81,546	81,546	92,903	87,036

Parks Canada’s total actual spending, including Internal Services, was lower than the total authorities by $51.9 million. This is mainly due to delays associated with the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park, and with funding held in reserve for the establishment of new national parks and national marine conservation areas. The Agency succeeded in investing all funding received through Canada’s Economic Action Plan for projects to improve national historic sites and visitor facilities, for the remediation of contaminated sites and for arctic research projects.

Vibrant Canadian Culture and Heritage is influenced by Heritage Places Establishment, Heritage Resources Conservation, Public Appreciation and Understanding and Visitor Experience because they

• establish Canada’s national parks and national marine conservation areas, as well as designate persons, places and events of national historic significance to Canada as symbols to the world and as part of the fabric of our nation;
• create a system of national historic sites that respects the significance and irreplaceable historical legacy reflecting Canada’s values and identity;
• preserve Canada’s natural and historical heritage and make it available to Canadians to discover and enjoy; and
• enhance pride, encourage stewardship and give expression to our identity as Canadians.

Clean and Healthy Environment is influenced by Heritage Places Establishment, Heritage Resources Conservation, Public Appreciation and Understanding, and Visitor Experience because they

• maintain and restore ecological integrity in national parks through the protection of natural resources and natural processes;
• ensure commemorative integrity of national historic sites managed or influenced by Parks Canada;
• ensure the ecologically sustainable use of national marine conservation areas; and
• ensure that many of Canada’s most special natural and historical heritage resources will not be lost and that current and future generations will enjoy a system of protected heritage places.

Safe and Secure Communities is influenced by Townsite and Throughway Infrastructure because it

• ensures the availability and maintenance of provincial and inter-provincial highways and bridges that connect communities and pass through national parks and national historic sites;
• ensures that water level management is compliant with legislation, for effective commercial and recreational navigation at nine national historic canals and waterways; and
• provides municipal services to ensure that residents and visitors are safe and secure.

Expenditure Profile

Canada’s Economic Action Plan

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Parks Canada was given an opportunity to make additional investments for the benefit of Canadians and to accelerate many of its activities that contribute to the achievement of its program objectives. The Agency received approximately $374 million to fund five initiatives:

• Improvements to national historic sites and visitor facilities;
• Twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway;
• Remediation of federal contaminated sites;
• Arctic research infrastructure; and
• Modernizing federal laboratories.

With the infusion of funds received through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Parks Canada delivered a capital program over three times its regular value. In 2010/11, Parks Canada spent $185.4 million of Canada’s Economic Action Plan funding. Over the two-year life span of the Plan, the Agency invested $281.8 million and initiated approximately 360 projects across the five initiatives. Almost 75 percent of national parks, each national marine conservation area, one quarter of the national historic sites managed by Parks Canada and 69 national historic sites managed by third parties have executed one or more projects funded by the Plan.

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Parks Canada invested the funding available in the following ways:

• Completing more than 110 projects that made substantial improvements and enhancements to Parks Canada historic sites and visitor facilities between April 2009 and March 2011;
• Making a significant contribution to the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan; and
• Delivering its program of planned investments in infrastructure, including work on roads and bridges in national parks, improvements to historic canals and significant progress on delivering the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway (five-year project).

Parks Canada continued to demonstrate effective reporting on the management of Canada’s Economic Action Plan projects, meeting all the reporting requirements of the Government of Canada. The following text provides information on some of the projects funded by Canada’s Economic Action Plan that support each of the five initiatives, while contributing to the achievement of Parks Canada’s Strategic Outcome.

Improvements to National Historic Sites and Visitor Facilities

Parks Canada received approximately $ 216.8 million over 2009 to 2011 to invest in improvements to the built heritage of national historic sites and to visitor facilities. These improvements involved major repairs and renovations to visitor reception centres and enhancements to visitor experience, such as exhibits, trails, campgrounds, roads and public facilities. They also contributed to enhancing commemorative integrity, visitor experience and visitor safety. Examples of these projects include:

• L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, Newfoundland and Labrador – Parks Canada made extensive renovations to the Visitor Reception Centre, improved washroom access, upgraded the theatre service, revitalized exhibits and updated interpretive media;
• Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site, British Columbia – Parks Canada addressed critical issues such as water infiltration, metal corrosion, and deteriorated masonry and woodwork. In addition, the Agency installed up to date fire detection and suppression systems and completed a seismic investigation for the site;
• Fort Chambly National Historic Site, Quebec – Parks Canada corrected water infiltration into the Guard House, improved the interpretive and directional signage, redeveloped the picnic area to allow for a British rule and War of 1812 theme, and installed an interpretive area and British games;
• Point Pelee National Park, Ontario – Parks Canada improved signage and exhibits, facilitating new opportunities for visitors to connect with the outstanding ecological and cultural significance of the park. The Agency also made improvements to the main park road and replaced the shuttle system to the Tip exhibit area, ensuring that visitors will continue to experience this iconic landmark while protecting the fragile Tip area; and
• Port-Royal National Historic Site, Nova Scotia – Parks Canada installed a fire suppression system that will help protect and preserve the national historic site. Port-Royal features a reconstruction of early 17^th century buildings representing one of the earliest European settlements on the continent.

Eight million dollars, included in the $216.8 million previously mentioned, was dedicated over the two-year period to Parks Canada’s National Historic Sites of Canada Cost-Sharing Program, which provides funding to national historic sites that are owned by third parties. Over 72 projects at 69 national historic sites were undertaken to improve the commemorative integrity of these places of national historic significance and to ensure that Canada’s historical and natural heritage is presented and protected for the enjoyment, education and appreciation of all Canadians, today and in the future. Examples of these projects include:

• Atwater Library of the Mechanics’ Institute of Montreal National Historic Site, Quebec – Parks Canada contributed funding to support a conservation project that will make the building secure and address safety and current building code requirements;
• Medicine Hat Clay Industries and Medalta Potteries National Historic Site, Alberta – Parks Canada’s investment funded a building study, conservation work, video documentation and educational materials for local students; and
• University College and the Heliconian Hall National Historic Sites, Ontario – Parks Canada contributed funding to support repairs to the University College’s roof systems and exterior stone walls, and for conservation projects at the Heliconian Hall.

Twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway

Parks Canada received $130 million from Canada’s Economic Action Plan (Budget 2009) over five years for the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway from Lake Louise in Banff National Park to the Alberta-British Columbia border, with $43.9 million spent during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 fiscal years ($15 million in 2009/10 and $28.9 million in 2010/11).

These expenditures resulted in the design and reconstruction of the existing Icefields/Trans-Canada Highway Interchange to accommodate the twinned highway. In addition, a design/build contract was awarded for the completion of the twinning and included the construction of three new bridge structures and two wildlife crossings. Completion of four lanes to the border, including new bridges and wildlife crossing structures, the repair of existing highway bridges, wildlife fencing, as well as final landscaping and clean-up, is scheduled to occur in fiscal years 2011/12 through 2013/14. When completed in 2013, the work will improve visitor access to the national parks and national historic sites in the mountains, enhance wildlife protection measures and improve the safety of individuals travelling along this transportation corridor.

Remediation of Federal Contaminated Sites

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government accelerated its activities under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, managed by Environment Canada. Parks Canada received $25.6 million over two years (2009/10 to 2010/11) as part of the accelerated funding initiative. The injection of funds allowed the Agency to undertake contaminated site remediation and/or risk management activities in national parks, contributing to improving the ecological integrity of the parks, and in national historic sites, enhancing their commemorative integrity.

As of March 31, 2011 Parks Canada has 455 known and suspected contaminated sites. The Agency focusses on remediation/risk management activities at high-risk federal contaminated sites under its responsibility, in order to reduce risk to human health and the environment as well as to reduce the associated financial liability. With the two-year funding from Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Parks Canada carried out 53 remediation and/or risk management projects at 76 high-risk sites distributed across 17 national parks and nine national historic sites. At the same time, the Agency undertook 87 assessment projects at 152 known or suspected sites spread across 23 national parks and 10 national historic sites.

Below are two examples of contaminated sites remediation activities that were completed in 2010/11:

• Lachine Canal National Historic Site, Former Docking Basins (Site 14.3), Quebec – Site 14.3 is located on the north bank of the Lachine Canal and comprises four large basins that served for 125 years as docks for merchant ships transiting goods for the nearby industries, until they were backfilled in the late 1960s. Through these historical activities, the soil was contaminated with heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Adjacent private properties are currently being redeveloped into a residential complex, Les Bassins du Nouveau-Havre, in collaboration with Parks Canada. In restoring the historical vocation of the basins, the Agency remediated the site by excavating and disposing of contaminated soil. The restoration of the site harmonizes its environmental condition with the residential vocation of the neighbourhood and enhances its recreational land use, in conjunction with existing bike paths and green spaces along the Lachine Canal;
• Ivvavik National Park, Stokes Point, Yukon – Prior to the creation of the park in 1984, Stokes Point was the location of a short lived Cold War-era Distant Early Warning line station known as BAR-B (1950s–1960s), and then a Beaufort Sea offshore oil exploration camp (1980s). These historical activities resulted in contamination of an ecologically and archaeologically sensitive site. Parks Canada engaged partners and stakeholders, including local First Nations communities and organizations, in a successful five-year study and remediation of historical contamination, along with clean-up of debris at Stokes Point. Long-term monitoring will be implemented to confirm the effectiveness of all measures taken at this site.

Arctic Research Infrastructure

Parks Canada received approximately $0.9 million through the Arctic Research Infrastructure funding initiative, managed by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, formerly Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, to support a robust network of research infrastructure put in place to complement the High Arctic Research Station. Facilities upgraded using Canada’s Economic Action Plan funding include sites in Quttinirpaaq and Wapusk National Parks.

Examples of projects conducted in 2010/11 include the construction of two new buildings to replace the existing bunkhouse and kitchen building at the Nestor Two research camp in Wapusk National Park, operated by the Hudson Bay Project, and the installation of a new water and wastewater treatment unit to provide potable water to the camp, in addition to treating all wastewater.

Parks Canada also constructed a backcountry cabin, washroom building and a water and wastewater treatment unit at Broad River, and a fenced compound, backcountry cabin and shed at the Owl River research site.

Modernizing Federal Laboratories

Parks Canada received approximately $0.3 million through the Modernizing Federal Laboratories program, managed by Natural Resources Canada, to purchase a vessel that will serve as a platform to conduct research supporting the protection of the marine environment and the ongoing underwater archaeology program. The vessel, which was commissioned in 2010 for delivery in the spring of 2011, will contribute to Parks Canada’s conservation program in national parks and will advance the understanding of national marine conservation areas.

For further details on the Economic Action Plan and the projects it funds, consult the Plan’s Website at www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Spending Trend

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In 2010/11, Parks Canada’s total expenditures amounted to $885.7 million. Over the past three years, Parks Canada’s regular program spending (excluding Canada’s Economic Action Plan) has fluctuated less than two percent.

Estimates by Vote

For information on our organizational votes and/or statutory expenditures, please see the 2010/11 Public Accounts of Canada (Volume II) publication. An electronic version of the Public Accounts is available at http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/txt/72-eng.html.

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