ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Parks Canada

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The Honourable John Baird
Minister of the Environment

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SECTION I: AGENCY OVERVIEW

SECTION II: PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND PLANNED RESULTS

SECTION III: FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND TABLES

SECTION IV: OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

SECTION V: ANNEXES

FIGURES:

 

Section I: Agency Overview

Minister’s Message

As Minister responsible for Parks Canada, I am pleased to present this Corporate Plan to the people of Canada. Canadians have been protecting and presenting their special heritage places since 1885, when Banff National Park—Canada’s first and the world’s third—was created.

In its stewardship of Canada’s treasured cultural and natural heritage places, Parks Canada must carry out a unique, challenging and exciting mission. Alone, of all the branches and departments of the federal government, Parks Canada has the dual responsibility of protecting environments and heritage places so that they will be preserved for future generations, and presenting them to Canadians so that they provide memorable experiences and learning opportunities.

Our national parks and national historic sites belong to all Canadians, and Parks Canada makes it possible for Canadians to have exceptional experiences at truly remarkable places, in a way that ensures the ecological integrity of the national parks, and that the commemorative integrity of our national historic sites is protected.

In 2007, this is a challenging task. Parks Canada is directly responsible for 42 national parks, two national marine conservation areas and 154 national historic sites, and encourages and supports the owners of an additional 762 historic sites. It oversees a total portfolio of assets worth more than $7 billion, and plays host to 22 million visitors a year.

The people who make up the Parks Canada organization are hard-working, dedicated and highly skilled professionals. They include visitor services officers, wardens, archaeologists and researchers, historians and ecologists. Together, they do a splendid job of protecting, managing and presenting a large, complex and extremely valuable nation-wide system of national treasures, on behalf of all Canadians.

This Corporate Plan provides the blueprint for how Parks Canada will go about protecting and presenting Canada’s natural and cultural heritage over the next few years. The Plan is key to the sustainable management of Canadians’ vast system of cultural and natural treasures.

One thing has not changed since the establishment of Banff National Park. Our national historic sites and national parks are an expression of faith in the future. These heritage places bring Canada’s history alive, are pathways to learning, and are magical landscapes where Canadians can experience some of the finest, most inspiring and unspoiled ecosystems on the planet. Through their protection, Parks Canada ensures that Canadians today and in the future can enjoy them, experience and learn from them, and become fully engaged in their continued stewardship. We must take care of our priceless natural and cultural assets, and this Corporate Plan spells out how the Government of Canada will do so.

The Honourable John Baird
Minister of the Environment

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 – 2011-2012 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for Parks Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements of the Treasury Board Secretariat;
• It is based on the Agency’s Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
• It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and accurate information;
• It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to Parks Canada; and
• It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board Secretariat in the Report on Plans and Priorities.

Alan Latourelle
Chief Executive Officer
Parks Canada

Message from the Chief Executive Officer

Sharing the Passion – Sharing the Leadership

Parks Canada is known as a national institution steeped in a long-standing tradition of excellence and blessed with an incredible team of experienced and passionate staff and partners. Our history is marked by so many accomplishments. Over the years, through our work we have firmly established ourselves – in our communities, across Canada and internationally – as leaders in the field of protection of natural and cultural heritage and the provision of memorable visitor experiences and learning opportunities. Our efforts and successes continue to make citizens proud of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage.

On the world stage, the international community looks to Parks Canada because of the leadership role we play in many areas including the designation of world heritage sites; the protection of underwater archaeological resources; and the development and implementation of operational and policy innovation. Nationally, we are recognized as leaders in terms of service excellence to Canadians, whether it be through inviting others to work collaboratively with us and sharing the leadership, or through facilitating quality memorable experiences to people who visit our national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas, inspiring them to become champions and ambassadors of Canada’s special places and stories. In many communities, we are contributing directly to the economic well-being and quality of life of our fellow Canadians. While there may be others involved in the protection of natural and cultural resources, or in education, we are the only federal organization with a national mandate that integrates protection, education and memorable experiences.

The environment is becoming increasingly important to Canadians, and there are increased threats from outside sources to our national historic sites and our national parks, but we are responding. Canada’s demographics are changing – the increased diversity of Canadians, changing expectations, urbanization – and we must respond. Increased competition for resources, for new talent and for partners and visitors means that we need to adjust how we do our business. Our ability to share our passion for Parks Canada programs and to share the leadership with others will ultimately determine our future success.

Our mandate has not changed and our responsibilities to all Canadians and visitors from around the world are not negotiable. Our national parks and national historic sites belong to all Canadians as exemplified in the dedication clause (art. 4.1) of the Canada National Parks Act:

Our mandate is to facilitate memorable experiences in a way that ensures the protection of the ecological integrity of national parks and the commemorative integrity of national historic sites. Integration of protection, education and memorable experiences is the foundation for our work while ensuring that we are relevant to, and representative of Canadians. We don’t want to just be good at what we do. We are striving for excellence – in everything we do. And we can achieve this.

We are committed to creating the space where all people can share their stories, knowledge and concerns; a place where each voice is heard and valued. Our commitment, shared with our team members, Aboriginal peoples, stakeholders and visitors, will ensure that Canada’s treasures are enjoyed and passed on unimpaired to our grandchildren and future generations. This will be our legacy.

Alan Latourelle
Chief Executive Officer
Parks Canada

Planning Overview and Agency Priorities

Agency Budget

Planned Spending and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
$ Thousands	649,527	607,635	609,104	614,094	609,094	609,094
FTE	4,200	4,161	4,161	4,153	4,153	4,153

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year.

Figure 2: Parks Canada Budget 2007-2008

Summary Information

Mandate

On behalf of the people of Canada, we protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity of these places for present and future generations.

Financial Resources ($ Thousands)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
607,635	609,104	614,094	609,094	609,094

Human Resources (FTE)

2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
4,161	4,161	4,153	4,153	4,153

Agency Priorities

Name	Type
1. Create national parks and national marine conservation areas in unrepresented regions.	2
2. Complete or expand some existing parks.	2
3. Designate and commemorate places, persons and events of national historic significance.	2
4. Designate other heritage places.	2
5. Maintain or improve the ecological integrity of national parks, and the sustainability of national marine conservation areas.	2
6. Maintain or improve the commemorative integrity of national historic sites, and the state of other cultural resources administered by Parks Canada.	2
7. Support, maintain and improve the commemorative integrity of national historic sites and the state of heritage resources not administered by Parks Canada.	2
8. Encourage the support and involvement of Canadians and stakeholders and their knowledge and appreciation of Canada’s heritage places.	2
9. Facilitate experiences that provide learning opportunities, visitor satisfaction and personal connections.	2
10. Provide responsible environmental stewardship and heritage conservation.	2
11. Provide safe highways, open to through traffic, and minimize their environmental impacts.	2
12. Maintain condition of waterways, carry out water control functions, and meet water level obligations.	2
13. Demonstrate accountability and effective decision-making and deliver timely, accessible and reliable management services.	2
14. A diverse and capable workforce, working in a positive and enabling environment which is reflective of the HR Values and Operating Principles.	2

Notes: Type: 1: new; 2: ongoing; 3: previously committed to.

Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

	Expected Results*	Planned Spending ($ thousands)					Contributes to the following priority
		2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Strategic Outcome:	Protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity of these places for the present and future generations.
Establish Heritage Places	* Refer to Figure 4 for a listing of Expected Results by Program Activity.	24,984	24,153	23,793	23,793	23,793	Priority No. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Conserve Heritage Resources		206,895	209,190	214,885	214,885	214,885	Priority No. 5, 6, and 7
Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding		34,230	27,631	28,817	28,817	28,817	Priority No. 8
Enhance Visitor Experience		267,327	272,721	277,742	277,742	277,742	Priority No. 9
Townsite Management		12,665	12,775	12,983	12,983	12,983	Priority No. 10
Throughway Management		61,535	62,633	55,873	50,873	50,873	Priority No. 11 and 12

Roles and Responsibilities

The Parks Canada Agency is responsible for the implementation of policies and programs that relate to Canada’s national parks, national historic sites, national marine conservation areas, other protected heritage areas, and heritage protection programs.

The Agency's actions to establish, protect and present Canada’s special heritage places are taken chiefly with regard to: the System of National Parks of Canada (Figure 5), the System of National Marine Conservation Areas of Canada (Figure 6), and the System of National Historic Sites (Figure 7).

The Agency’s work is guided by the Parks Canada Charter (Figure 1, inside front cover), which states the Agency’s mandate and role, as well as its commitments to Canadians. Parks Canada strives to apply the Charter when carrying out its responsibilities.

Parks Canada derives its mandate from several pieces of legislation. The 1998 Parks Canada Agency Act (PCAA) established it as a separate Government of Canada Agency. The Historic Sites and Monuments Act of 1953 provides for the designation of national historic sites as well as the legislative basis for acquiring and for contributing directly to the care and preservation of these sites. The Canada National Parks Act, passed in 2000, modernized Parks Canada’s historic role and affirmed ecological integrity as the Agency priority when considering all aspects of national park management. The Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, passed in 2002, provides for the creation of national marine conservation areas representative of the country’s oceans and Great Lakes’ waters.

Parks Canada has the lead role for developing policy and implementing the Historic Places Initiative; a significant collaborative conservation efforts related to the nation’s built heritage.
Parks Canada, together with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Department of the Environment, has responsibility to implement the Species at Risk Act.

Parks Canada administers the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act and the Historic Canals Regulations, pursuant to the Department of Transport Act. Parks Canada is also responsible, with the Department of Transport, for jointly developing and implementing Heritage Wreck Regulations under the Canada Shipping Act.

For a complete list of the legislation governing the Parks Canada Agency, see Annex 4.

There were 916 sites designated as being of national historic significance as of March 31, 2006. Of these, 154 are directly administered by Parks Canada. Designations have been made for 587 persons of national historic significance and 360 historically significant events. There are 42 national parks representing 28 of Canada’s 39 distinct natural regions, and there are two operating sites in the national marine conservation areas system, representing two of Canada’s 29 marine regions.

Parks Canada leads programs related to the commemoration and protection of grave sites of former Prime Ministers, federal heritage buildings, heritage railway stations, heritage rivers, other built heritage programs such as the Canadian Register of Historic Places, and for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserves Program Initiative. Parks Canada leads the implementation of Canada’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention; works in cooperation with Environment Canada to help coordinate national implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity Program of Work on Protected Areas; and provides leadership on other international heritage conservation agreements.

There are more than 22 million annual visits to Canada’s protected heritage areas, and more than
5 million annual visits to the Agency website. The Agency supports 38,000 direct jobs for Canadians, in more than 460 communities.

The Parks Canada Agency reports to Parliament through the Minister of the Environment.

Operating Environment

Internal and External Factors Influencing the Agency

1. Changing Demographics of Canada
   The Agency recognizes that the social landscape of Canada is changing. In order to remain relevant to Canadians, the Agency will need to explore better ways to connect with, engage and respond to the needs and interests of young people, as well as urban dwellers, new immigrants and ethno-cultural communities. As a first step, the Agency must better understand the changing leisure patterns of Canadians and visitors from abroad. Such analysis will assist the Agency in ensuring that the products, services and facilities offered at national parks and national historic sites continue to provide visitors with meaningful experiences in innovative and interactive ways.
2. Engage Aboriginal Peoples, Partners and Stakeholders
   Parks Canada cannot act unilaterally in achieving its mandate to protect and present Canada’s natural and cultural heritage. The Agency must continue to build strong and trusting relationships with Aboriginal communities and to work, collaboratively, with partners and stakeholders, wherever possible, if it is to be successful in achieving its goals.
3. Environmental Factors
   Native biodiversity and habitat are under considerable stress and have suffered progressive loss. In the past 30 years, Canada has also lost more than 20% of its pre-1920 heritage buildings to demolition. In light of this, the Agency will continue its efforts to build a culture of conservation in Canada for the protection and sustainability of heritage resources for the future.

Minister’s Round Table on Parks Canada

The Parks Canada Agency Act requires that the Minister convene, at least every two years, a round table of persons interested in matters for which the Agency is responsible, and who will advise the Minister on the performance of the Agency.

The 2005 Minister’s Round Table had two themes. The first was entitled “towards a culture of conservation,” and the second, “facilitating memorable visitor experiences.” Participants made recommendations in three areas: support towards building a culture of conservation by improving communications and making use of best practices and the traditional approaches and knowledge of Canada’s indigenous peoples; a call to strengthen research, recapitalize assets and provide functional leadership for visitor experience within the Agency; and, the continued engagement of Aboriginal peoples and support of Aboriginal languages and traditions.

Actions to address the recommendations from the Round Table are outlined in this plan. For more information please visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/agen/trm-mrt/2005/index-eng.asp.

The next Minister’s Round Table will be held in 2007.

Aboriginal Relations

Canada’s special relationship with Aboriginal peoples has been set out and defined by The Constitution Act, 1982, by legal statutes, and by courts of law. Parks Canada considers Aboriginal peoples, not as stakeholders but as privileged partners. There are significant ways in which the relationship between Parks Canada and Aboriginal peoples differ from those of stakeholders. These relate primarily to existing Aboriginal and treaty rights, to obligations under land claim settlements and to ensuring that the timetable and decision-making processes of Aboriginal groups are respected and valued during consultation processes.

The establishment and management of a number of national historic sites, most of the national marine conservation areas and the majority of national parks have depended on the extraordinary sense of sharing, the pragmatic wisdom and the deeply cooperative spirit of Aboriginal peoples.
Parks Canada’s Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat provides national leadership and support for these aims.
The Aboriginal Consultative Committee, an advisory body, has been established to provide expert advice to the CEO of Parks Canada.

With Aboriginal elders and communities across the country, Parks Canada is pursuing five key objectives:

1. Increase Aboriginal interpretation and presentation at national historic sites and national parks;
2. Build relationships between all senior officials of Parks Canada and aboriginal communities;
3. Improve employment opportunities for Aboriginal young people;
4. Foster Aboriginal economic opportunities in and in proximity to heritage places; and,
5. Make the system of national historic sites more representative of aboriginal heritage.

Activities related to these five objectives are outlined in this plan.

Strategic Environmental Assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the requirement for which sprung from a Cabinet Directive, is a systematic, comprehensive process of evaluating the environmental aspects of a proposed policy, plan or program and its alternatives. SEA is required when the proposal may result in important positive or negative environmental effects and, Cabinet or Ministerial approval is needed.

The Parks Canada Agency is committed to developing and implementing a SEA management system over the life of this Corporate Plan. The management system will define roles and responsibilities for SEA, outline SEA tracking and monitoring responsibilities, and provide training and guidance to staff on how to incorporate SEA principles into their decision-making. Because SEA summaries are elements of published plans that are posted to the Agency Internet, the Agency will demonstrate to Canadians that consideration of environmental factors is an essential element in the delivery of its mandate.

Parks Canada Program Activity Architecture

Parks Canada delivers its mandate through a program activity architecture (PAA), composed of eight program activities (see Figure 4 for details). The PAA reflects how accountabilities are managed in the Agency and is the basis for reporting to Parliament and to Canadians. The program activities are linked by many interconnected priorities and planned results; as such, they constitute the platform on which Parks Canada defines its contribution to federal strategic outcomes for Canadians.
(See Canada’s Performance Report http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/govrev/2005/cp-rc-eng.asp.)

The core programs are delivered through the first four program activities: Establish Heritage Places, Conserve Heritage Resources, Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding, and Enhance Visitor Experience. The establishment of national historic sites, national parks, national marine conservation areas and other heritage places are addressed under Program Activity 1. The ecological integrity of Canada’s national parks, sustainable management of national marine conservation areas and commemorative integrity of national historic sites are addressed under Program Activity 2. Program Activity 2 also includes all other conservation plans, including work to protect cultural resources administered by Parks Canada, as well as by other jurisdictions and non-governmental bodies.

Program Activities 3 and 4 address respectively the promotion of public appreciation and understanding, and the enhancement of the visitor experience. Parks Canada with its partners will offer a range of activities and services to Canadians to enhance their enjoyment and help them benefit from these special places. Specific programs that promote appreciation and understanding respond to Parks Canada’s desire to present Canada’s heritage both to visitors and to Canadians in their daily lives. Together, they allow Parks Canada to provide visitors with opportunities for meaningful experiences at national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas in ways that respond to their needs and expectations.

Program Activities 5 and 6 relate to infrastructure, transportation and townsites management. Visitors rely on townsites as staging areas to prepare for a national park experience, while at the same time visitors and local residents depend on Parks Canada to keep highways safe and canal operations functioning for nautical activities, watercraft transportation and water management issues.

Program Activities 7 and 8 reflect corporate services which support the provision of programs and services to Canadians.

Benefits to Canadians

The following descriptions of Parks Canada’s program activities (PA) illustrate how the Agency provides benefits for Canadians.

PA1 Establish Heritage Places

Canada’s national parks and national marine conservation areas, as well as the persons, places and events of national historic significance to Canada, are symbols to the world and are part of what we stand for as a country. Given we are one of the oldest nations in the world with a rich and diverse history, preservation of our history is of key importance. Designation of persons, places and events of national significance under the National Historic Sites System Plan safeguards and chronicles the determination and ingenuity of Canadians and the contributions they have made. Recognition of all historic places in Canada through the Canadian Register of Historic Places enables Canadians to appreciate the full range of historic places that are significant locally, provincially and nationally. Protection of national parks and national marine conservation areas ensure that many of Canada’s most special natural heritage resources will not be lost. Current and future generations will enjoy a system of protected heritage areas that represent the full mosaic of diverse natural and cultural assets.

PA2 Conserve Heritage Resources

Ecological integrity is the cornerstone underlying the management of national parks and the long-term preservation of biodiversity and harmonious biological dynamics. Commemorative integrity of national historic sites aims at conserving the national and historic significance of these places by maintaining their lasting contribution to our history. Environmental sustainability is key to national marine conservation areas and requires that renewable resources be managed without compromising the ecosystems with which they are associated. Parks Canada protects nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage so that citizens of today and tomorrow can experience and be inspired by the special places and rich stories of our nation. From our special heritage places, Canadians draw a shared understanding of our national identity.

PA3 Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding

Parks Canada builds knowledge, appreciation and support of Canada’s rich natural and cultural heritage through evocative learning experiences, dissemination of information to the public and close engagement of stakeholders and partners. By way of these education and outreach activities, Canadians will gain a greater connection to their history and develop a culture of conservation. This appreciation benefits Canadians and empowers them to become supporters in the protection and presentation of our nation’s special heritage places.

PA4 Enhance Visitor Experience

Canadians are offered opportunities to enjoy and appreciate Canada’s natural and cultural heritage through the protection or conservation of natural and cultural heritage of national significance as well as the provision of services, facilities and programs provided by Parks Canada. The Agency stages meaningful experiences that help to promote healthy lifestyle and foster a shared sense of responsibility for environmentally and culturally appreciative activities. Experiences gained through visits to well-conserved and accessible national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas leave visitors with a clear and strong sense of connection to nature and history, adding to the well-being and health of Canadians.

PA5 Townsite Management

Parks Canada’s townsites facilitate visitation, as well as preserve and protect built heritage and archaeological resources. Considered premium visitor destinations by the traveling public, the townsites contribute considerable economic benefits to Canada. Through growth management strategies, the Agency demonstrates sustainable forms of development to Canadians. Townsites provide excellent case studies in conservation and education, and cultivate national park model communities where stewardship, sustainability and best practices are encouraged and rewarded.

PA6 Throughway Management

The highways and waterways maintained under the responsibility of Parks Canada are of great benefit to Canadians. Highways and bridges remain open and continue to provide reliable, safe through-transit in a manner that reduces wildlife-traffic conflicts and minimizes ecological impacts. They also provide
vital access to many parks facilities and associated visitor experience opportunities. Waterways remain open and provide reliable, safe through-transit and recreation, contributing to the efficient movement of people and commercial goods, while water levels and watersheds are managed in order to maintain healthy ecosystems and contribute to community and industrial water supplies.

PA7/8 Corporate Services

Informed management decisions respect public service values, reflect probity and focus on accountability for achieving relevant results for Canadians. Through strategic decision-making, Parks Canada maximizes the resources devoted directly to program activities, in order to provide value for money and demonstrate clear stewardship. The Agency is working to maintain a workforce that reflects the mosaic of Canadian society. For Canadians to be able to judge its performance, public reporting will be balanced, transparent and easy to understand. It will demonstrate to Canadians that it is well managed and can deliver on defined commitments by having in place appropriate mechanisms to handle everyday operations and long-term strategic plans to fulfill its mandate.

Management Planning

Management planning at the individual park or site level integrates and translates these closely related and mutually supportive program activities into action. Each national historic site, national park and national marine conservation area management plan implements the direction set out by the Corporate Plan for all program activities, and sets out strategies and targets to deliver results and achieve outcomes. These plans are key accountability documents, and inform the public about how Parks Canada carries out its mandate.

Management Environment

In keeping with the government priority of establishing the components for good management, a series of tools, good practices and management requirements has been developed. The purpose is to ensure that Parks Canada has an integrated management, resources, and results structure that is current and consistent with the way it manages programs and related activities, and that allocates resources to achieve expected results and meet associated performance measures. Parks Canada is refining its management practices by integrating innovative tools and appropriate training. Accurate and comparable financial and non-financial information enable Parks Canada to link expenditure and program performance information to priorities for more effective planning, monitoring and reporting. Parks Canada’s management structure focuses on the achievement of results, and on reporting them in simple and understandable ways to elected officials and to Canadians, based on credible, reliable and balanced information.

Organization

Parks Canada’s Executive Board, comprised of the Chief Executive Officer and other senior managers depicted in the following Organization Chart, sets the priorities for the organization. Program delivery is the responsibility of Parks Canada’s 32 field units. Field units are groupings of national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. There are four service centres, which support the organization in a variety of professional and technical disciplines, such as biology and archaeology.

Figure 3: Parks Canada Organization Chart

Figure 4: Parks Canada Strategic Planning Framework

Strategic Outcome:	Protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure the ecological and commemorative­integrity of these places for the present and future generations.
Program Activity*	Description	Planned Results/Priority	Performance Expectations
1. Establish Heritage Places Capital: $1,000 Salaries and Wages: $8,964 Other Operating: $15,020 Total: $24,984	The establishment of heritage places includes systems planning, ­consulting with stakeholders and the public, negotiating with other governments and Aboriginal organizations, obtaining ministerial approval, and establishing national parks and national marine ­conservation areas, and designating national historic sites of Canada, as well as other heritage places, for inclusion in the national systems.	1. Create national parks and national marine conservation areas in unrepresented regions.	1. Increase the number of represented terrestrial regions from 25 in March 2003 to 30 of 39 by March 2008, and increase the number of ­represented marine regions from two in March 2003 to four of 29 by March 2008.
		2. Complete or expand some existing parks.	2. Expand two national parks by March 2008, and increase the targeted land holdings in three unfinished national parks.
		3. Designate and commemorate places, persons and events of national historic ­significance.	3. Designate, on average, 24 new places, persons and events per year. 4. On average, 30 commemorative plaques placed annually.
		4. Designate other heritage places.	5. List 10,000 designated historic places on the Canadian Register of Historic Places by March 2009, and 17,500 by 2014. 6. Designate, in partnership with others, federal heritage buildings.
2.Conserve Heritage Resources Capital: $21,781 Salaries and Wages: $109,240 Other Operating: $75,874 Total: $206,895	Conserving heritage resources includes the maintenance or improvement of ecological integrity in national parks; the ­sustainable use of national marine conservation areas and the protection of unique marine ecosystems; ensuring the ­commemorative integrity of national historic sites managed or influenced by Parks Canada; and the protection and ­management of cultural resources under the administration of Parks Canada that are not associated with national historic sites.	5. Maintain or improve the ecological integrity of national parks and the sustainability of national marine conservation areas.	7. National park and NMCA management plans will be on schedule and consistent with management plan guidelines by March 2010. 8. Develop fully functioning ecological integrity monitoring and reporting systems for all national parks by March 2008. 9. Develop selected indicators and protocols for measuring NMCA ecological sustainability by March 2009. 10. Improve aspects of the state of ecological integrity in each of Canada’s 42 national parks by March 2014. 11. Meet targets for five measures of environmental impacts of Parks Canada’s operations: greenhouse gas emissions, petroleum storage tanks, contaminated sites, halocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
		6. Maintain or improve the commemorative integrity of national historic sites, and the state of other cultural resources administered by Parks Canada.	12. Complete NHS management plans, consistent with management plan guidelines by March 2008. 13. Improve 75% of the elements of commemorative integrity rated as poor to at least fair condition, within five years of the original assessment. 14. Improve the state of other cultural resources managed by Parks Canada by March 2014.
		7. Support maintaining and improving the commemorative integrity of national historic sites, and the state of heritage resources not administered by Parks Canada.	15. Other owners of national historic sites are aware of commemorative integrity and have access to information on best practices in maintaining it. 16. Provide advice, recommendations or certification of interventions to built cultural heritage consistent with The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada as opportunity permits.
3. Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding Capital: $9,172 Salaries and Wages: $15,985 Other Operating: $9,073 Total: $34,230	Promoting public appreciation and understanding involves programs and activities that are aimed at reaching Canadians at home, at leisure, at school and in their communities with relevant information and innovative learning opportunities that respond to their needs and interests.	8. Encourage the support and involvement of Canadians and stakeholders and their knowledge and appreciation of Canada’s heritage places.	17. Develop indicators, expectations and protocols for measuring public appreciation and understanding of Canadians and stakeholders by May 2007.
4. Enhance Visitor Experience Capital: $55,356 Salaries and Wages: $149,480 Other Operating: $62,491 Total: $267,327	The visitor experience is the cumulative outcome of all aspects of each visit, including interactions with Parks Canada and its partners. It includes client focused services, programs and infrastructure that ­support the provision of pre- and on-site trip planning information, reception and orientation, interpretation, campgrounds, hiking trails and other recreational activities, visitor safety and the ongoing post visit relationship.	9. Facilitate experiences that provide learning opportunities, visitor satisfaction and personal connections.	18. 10% increase in the number of visits to targeted national historic sites by March 2008. 19. 50% of visitors to national parks and national marine conservation areas, and 80% of visitors to national historic sites will participate in learning experiences at all surveyed sites. 20. 85% of visitors are satisfied, and 50% are very satisfied, with their experience at all surveyed sites. 21. Optimize the number of visitors who report a personal connection to the park or site visited (target to be established by October 2007).
5. Townsite Management Capital: $4,532 Salaries and Wages: $4,513 Other Operating: $3,620 Total: $12,665	Townsite management activities include the operation of 5 townsite communities within Canada’s national parks, and the provision of municipal services such as drinking water, snow removal, garbage pick-up and disposal, sewage treatment, road and street maintenance, and fire services to support visitors and residents.	10. Provide responsible environmental stewardship and heritage conservation.	22. Meet targets for legislated limits to growth, sewage effluent quality and management of contaminated sites and set targets for solid waste diversion and water conservation by March 31, 2008. 23. Townsites meet their targets for the protection of priority heritage assets owned by Parks Canada.
6. Throughway Management Capital: $35,506 Salaries and Wages: $12,758 Other Operating: $13,271 Total: $61,535	Throughway management involves the operation, maintenance and repair of roads, bridges, provincial and inter-provincial highways and waterways that connect communities and pass through national parks and national historic sites. Parks Canada is also responsible for nine national historic canals and waterways, including the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Rideau, Lachine and Chambly canals.	11. Provide safe highways, open to through traffic, and minimize their ­environmental impacts.	24. Highways are open to through traffic. 25. Maintain highways in a condition that minimizes risk to users. 26. Minimize environmental impacts of highways.
		12. Maintain condition of waterways, carry out water control functions, and meet water level obligations.	27. 75% of waterway assets are maintained in at least fair condition. 28. Develop inventory of water control obligations, targets, and protocols for measuring compliance by March 2008.
Corporate Services 7. Management of Parks Canada 8. People Management	Corporate services include budgeting and programming; financial investment and administrative management; real ­property and asset management; the development of legislation and policy; senior ­management and the management of human resources.	13. Demonstrate accountability and effective decision-making, and deliver timely, accessible and reliable management services.	29. Score average or above on 100% of indicators in Treasury Board Management Accountability Framework assessment.
		14. A diverse and capable workforce, working in a positive and enabling ­environment which is reflective of the HR Values and Operating Principles.	30. Five year Independent Report on the Agency’s Human Resource Regime shows consistency between the Agency’s HR Values and Operating Principles and the HR Regime, and improvements in targeted areas. 31. A workforce that is representative of the Canadian population as measured by labour force availability by 2009.

*Capital, Salaries and Wages and Other Operating figures are forecasts for 2007/2008, ($ thousands).

Figure 5: The System of National Parks of Canada

Figure 6: The System of National Marine Conservation Areas of Canada

Figure 7: National Historic Sites of Canada administered by Parks Canada

 

Section II: Program Activities and Planned Results

Parks Canada – An Integrated Mandate

Parks Canada’s program activity architecture (PAA) has eight program activities (see Figure 4 for details). The core programs are delivered through four program activities: Establish Heritage Places, Conserve Heritage Resources, Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding, and Enhance Visitor Experience.

The Parks Canada Corporate Plan is presented according to individual program activities. However, in the real world, the program activities that describe the work of the Agency are not individually distinct but integrated. It is this integration of program activities that is key to the long-term success of the Agency and the very existence of these special heritage places in the future.

Figure 8: Parks Canada Integrated Mandate

Program Activity 1: ESTABLISH HERITAGE PLACES

Planned Spending ($ thousands) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

Establish Heritage Places	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000
Salaries and Wages	9,897	8,964	8,743	8,410	8,410	8,410
Other Operating	27,949	15,020	14,411	14,383	14,383	14,383
Total	38,847	24,984	24,153	23,793	23,793	23,793
FTE	123	115	112	108	108	108

Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
Other Operating includes Grants and Contributions
These numbers include Corporate Services
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

This program activity includes systems planning, consulting with stakeholders and the public, negotiating with other governments and Aboriginal organizations, obtaining ministerial approval, and establishing national parks and national marine conservation areas, and designating national historic sites of Canada, as well as other heritage places, for inclusion in the national systems.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

1. ESTABLISH HERITAGE PLACES
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
1. Create national parks and national marine conservation areas in unrepresented regions.	1. Increase the number of represented terrestrial regions from 25 in March 2003 to 30 of 39 by March 2008, and increase the number of represented marine regions from two in March 2003 to four of 29 by March 2008.
2. Complete or expand some existing parks.	2. Expand two national parks by March 2008, and increase the targeted land holdings in three unfinished national parks.
3. Designate and commemorate places, persons and events of national historic significance.	3. Designate, on average, 24 new places, persons and events per year. 4. On average, 30 commemorative plaques placed annually.
4. Designate other heritage places.	5. List 10,000 designated historic places on the Canadian Register of Historic Places by March 2009, and 17,500 by 2014. 6. Designate, in partnership with others, federal heritage buildings.

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

Planned Result 1: Create national parks and national marine conservation areas in unrepresented regions

1.1 National Parks and National Marine Conservation Areas in Unrepresented Regions

Since the early 1970s, the National Parks System Plan (http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/v-g/nation/nation1-eng.asp), that divides Canada into 39 distinct natural regions, based on unique physiographic and vegetative characteristics, has guided new park establishment. Parks Canada’s goal is to have at least one national park representative of each natural region. Currently, 28 of the 39 natural regions are represented, making the system just over 70% complete (see Figure 5 – The National Parks of Canada).

A system plan for national marine conservation areas (NMCAs), entitled Sea to Sea to Sea (http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/amnc-nmca/systemplan/index-eng.asp), divides Canada’s Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific oceans, together with the Great Lakes, into 29 marine regions based on oceanographic and biological characteristics. The goal is to protect and conserve a representative sample of each of the 29 marine regions. Currently, with the addition of Lake Superior in 2006-2007, only three of the 29 marine regions are represented in the NMCA system (see Figure 6 – The National Marine Conservation Areas of Canada).

Progress on the various park and NMCA proposals is guided by legislation, policy, existing Aboriginal and treaty rights and land claim agreements, and the terms of Memoranda of Understanding and/or feasibility studies with provincial governments or First Nations. Building long-term relationships with Aboriginal people and engaging local communities, stakeholders and the general public are key.
Establishment of a national park or NMCA is a five-step process.

1. Identify areas representative of a natural terrestrial or marine region;
2. Select a potential park or NMCA area;
3. Assess the feasibility of candidate national park or NMCA;
4. Negotiate new park or NMCA agreement(s); and,
5. Formally establish the national park or NMCA (reserve) in legislation.

Parks Canada continues to work closely with other governments, Aboriginal people, local communities, stakeholders and the public to meet the federal goal of establishing five new national parks and two new national marine conservation areas by March 2008.

Of these, three new national parks and one national marine conservation area have already been established and feasibility studies and negotiations will continue to move toward meeting the government commitment.

1.2 Plans to Create National Parks

The creation of a national park is a complex process, in which various interests must be understood and reconciled, and support garnered.

For example, the idea of a national park to protect the East Arm of Great Slave Lake (NWT) was first proposed in 1970, but at that time, creation of a park was not supported by the local First Nation,
so the proposal sat dormant for decades. This changed in 2000 when the Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation asked Parks Canada to discuss the proposal. In October 2006, the Minister of the Environment and the Chief of the Lutsel’e Dene First Nation signed and celebrated a Memorandum of Understanding formally launching the feasibility study.

The signing of an agreement with Aboriginal people, and/or a land transfer agreement with a provincial government enables a park to become operational under the provisions of the agreement.

Significant progress has been made on government commitments, including the establishment of three new national parks (Gulf Islands, Ukkusiksalik and Torngat Mountains) and, one new national marine conservation area (Lake Superior).

By 2008-2009, Parks Canada will recommend to Parliament the formal legislated establishment of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and Ukkusiksalik National Park, and an addition to Tuktut Nogait National Park within the Sahtu settlement region under the Canada National Parks Act.

Parks Canada will continue work on proposed national parks in unrepresented natural regions.

Figure 9: Unrepresented natural terrestrial regions and present status on establishment

Unrepresented regions	Status	Actions to be undertaken
Region 3: Interior Dry Plateau South Okanagan–Lower Similkameen	Step 3: Feasibility study The final feasibility study, launched in 2003, is in its final stages.	Once the feasibility study is submitted and if governments agree, negotiation of a park establishment agreement will begin.
Region 7: Northern Interior Mountains and Plateau–Wolf Lake	Step 3: Feasibility study	Parks Canada will launch a feasibility study, including a first round of public consultation.
Region 14: Manitoba Lowlands	Step 4: Negotiations Canada and Manitoba are negotiating a national park establishment agreement.	Negotiation of a national park establishment agreement will continue.
Region 19b: Great Lakes St. Lawrence Precambrian	Step 2: Potential park area	Parks Canada will identify a site that meets representation and ecological integrity requirements and confirm it with the province.
Region 21: East Coast Boreal Mealy Mountains	A land transfer agreement for the proposed national park reserve is being negotiated.	Conclude land transfer agreement and establish national park in legislation.
Region 38: Western High Arctic Northern Bathurst Island	Step 4: Negotiations An Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement is being negotiated.	Parks Canada will work with Inuit to conclude an Impact and Benefit Agreement.

1.3 Plans to Establish National Marine Conservation Areas

National marine conservation areas are managed, within an enhanced conservation management regime, to protect and conserve representative marine ecosystems in an ecologically sustainable manner. They provide opportunities for Canadians to appreciate and enjoy Canada’s natural and cultural marine heritage. Parks Canada works with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada to manage fishing, commercial shipping, transportation and recreational boating in these areas.

Including the recently established Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, three of the 29 marine natural regions are represented, making the system 11 percent complete. Parks Canada will continue to work toward fuller representation of unrepresented natural aquatic regions:

Figure 10: Unrepresented natural aquatic regions and present status on establishment

Unrepresented regions	Status	Actions to be undertaken
Pacific Regions 1 and 2: Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Shelf Gwaii Haanas	Step 4: Preparation of an interim management plan.	The interim management plan will be completed by 2008.
Pacific 5: Strait of Georgia– Southern Strait of Georgia	Step 4: Negotiations Underway with the provincial government	Complete negotiations of an establishment agreement and conclude consultations on an interim management plan.
Atlantic 6: Magdalen Shallows Iles-de-la- Madeleine	Step 3: Feasibility study	Final boundary will be identified and draft interim management plan prepared.
Atlantic 7: Laurentian Channel South Coast Fjords	Step 3: Feasibility study Study underway in cooperation with provincial government and advisory committee.	Studies and consultations will continue.

Planned Result 2: Complete or expand some existing national parks

Acquiring additional land either inside an area identified in a federal-provincial national establishment agreement for an existing national park (completion), or outside current park boundaries (expansion), can serve to both improve the representation of a natural region and to enhance the ecological integrity of a national park. Parks Canada plans to complete three existing national parks on a “willing seller-willing buyer” basis, and to expand, by March 2008, two other existing national parks.

2.1 Complete Selected Parks

Parks Canada will complete three existing national parks under the terms of their establishment agreements which provide for lands to be purchased on a willing-seller, willing-buyer basis. Bruce Peninsula and Grasslands National Parks of Canada have agreed-upon boundaries, and the third, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada, has an agreed-upon process for land acquisition.

2.2 Expand Existing National Parks

Parks Canada has worked to expand Tuktut Nogait National Park, and will recommend to Parliament that lands within the Sahtu settlement region be added to the Park under the terms of the Canada National Parks Act.

The process involved to expand an existing national park is similar to the new park establishment process.

Figure 11: National Park expansions and present status.

Park	Status	Actions to be undertaken
Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada, Northwest Territories	Step 4 and 5: Negotiation and legislation	Parks Canada will recommend to Parliament the protection of a new and enlarged boundary for Nahanni National Park Reserve, and conclude an impact and benefits agreement for Nahanni, within the Sahtu Settlement Area.
Tuktut Nogait National Park of Canada	Step 3: Feasibility study	Parks Canada will continue discussions with the local Inuit population.
Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada.	Step 3: Feasibility study	Parks Canada is interested in expanding Waterton Lakes National Park, subject to support of the government of British Columbia.

Parks that lack natural region representation and ecological integrity require an analytical process to identify boundary expansions that will make them more representative and ecologically sound. Establishment of park boundaries that enable parks to meet the Agency’s core objectives for representation, ecological integrity, public understanding and visitor experience is a high priority.

Parks Canada works in partnership with other organizations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to acquire land to complete or expand parks whenever possible. National parks that remain incomplete, and/or that are under severe ecological stress, are targeted.

The challenges to completing the system of national parks and NMCAs are substantial, but significant progress can be made when Parks Canada works with others to ensure that unimpaired natural areas are passed on to future generations.

Planned Result 3: Designate and commemorate places, persons and events of national historic significance

Canada’s system of national historic sites fosters public awareness and appreciation of Canada’s past. It respects the significance and irreplaceable legacy of the places, people and events that shaped Canada’s past, and the cultural resources associated with Canada’s historic places. It also encourages conservation and presentation of national historic sites owned and managed by third parties.

The National Historic Sites of Canada System Plan (October 2000) presents a long-term strategy to commemorate places, persons, and events of national historic significance. The implementation of the National Historic Sites of Canada System Plan is the responsibility of several different stakeholders, of which Parks Canada is only one. (For more details, please see http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/r/system-reseau/sites-lieux1-eng.asp)

As of March 31, 2006, Canada’s System of National Historic Sites includes 916 designated sites. Of these, 154 are directly administered by Parks Canada. The system also includes 587 persons of national historic significance and 360 historically significant events.

Parks Canada will continue to strengthen and expand partnerships with diverse communities and national associations to encourage nominations to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. A rigorous process has been developed to designate places, persons, or events of national historic significance. Parks Canada continues to make Canadians aware of the designation process, and of how to initiate and prepare a nomination.

There is increased public interest in heritage, whether it is to preserve the particular character of a community, to understand what makes up the Canada of today, or to share Canadian history with the world. Parks Canada will continue to promote greater awareness, of the pressing need to invest in protecting places of national significance, and of the options available to prevent further losses.

Planned Result 4: Designate other heritage places

The Historic Places Initiative (HPI): The Canadian Register of Historic Places

An element of the Historic Places Initiative, the Canadian Register of Historic Places is managed by Parks Canada to be an easy-to-use reference for historic places in Canada. It is an important web-based source for planners, policymakers, community organizations, teachers, students and families interested in learning about, and helping preserve, the past. The keystone of the initiative is cooperation among all levels of government in listing their historic properties on the Register.

Parks Canada, through the Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, is responsible for preparing the Register documentation for all national historic sites (916), designated federal heritage buildings (1,335) and heritage railway stations (166). The target is for all jurisdictions to review the eligibility of all historic places recognized prior to January 1, 2004, and to submit all eligible historic places to the Canadian Register.

Part of the HPI’s work has been the development of the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, the development of a certification program for projects seeking financial incentives, and the introduction of the Historic Places Class Contribution Program, to support provincial and territorial participation in the HPI.

Other Programs to Designate or Commemorate Heritage Places

Parks Canada works with a number of partners and stakeholders to achieve the objectives of these other programs. The Agency role is limited and it is not solely responsible for any performance targets although advances have been made. A program description and relevant websites follow.

Federal Heritage Buildings Program: Under the Treasury Board Heritage Buildings Policy

All government departments are required to protect the heritage character of their designated buildings. Through the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, the Agency administers this policy by acting as a secretariat to coordinate the evaluation of buildings. It submits recommendations to the Minister of the Environment, provides advice, and maintains the Register of Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.

The policy requires that all buildings 40 years or older under federal government ownership must be evaluated against criteria that measure historical association, architectural significance, and each building’s place within its current environment, in order to protect those with significant heritage character. Parks Canada is the custodian of the largest number of federal heritage buildings, administering 38% (503) of the 1,335 designated buildings. http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/dcgpubs/realproperty/hbp-eng.asp

Heritage Railway Stations Program

The Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act, proclaimed in 1990, affirms the federal government’s commitment to safeguard the historical character of heritage railway stations under the ownership of federally regulated railway companies. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board Secretariat administers this act, provides advice and recommendations on appropriate conservation measures to the Minister and the custodial railway companies, and maintains the heritage railway stations list. (www.pc.gc.ca/clmhc-hsmbc/gfp-hrs/index-eng.asp)

Seventy-four stations have been sold to outside parties and are now protected under provincial legislation. There are 166 railway stations in the program. Parks Canada provides research and database support to the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, and contracts with Public Works and Government Services Canada for professional and technical advice.

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS)

The CHRS is a public trust. Local citizens champion the program and governments – federal, provincial and territorial – lend support and guidance, and provide approvals as required. Parks Canada maintains a small secretariat for the program, whose role includes making recommendations to the Minister of the Environment for designations, and providing technical and financial assistance for others making nominations or recommendations.

National Program for the Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers

Under this program, Parks Canada ensures that the grave sites of Canada’s prime ministers are conserved and recognized in a respectful and dignified manner. Parks Canada monitors the condition of the grave sites periodically and, in consultation with the families of former prime ministers, organizes dedication ceremonies, arranges for the marking of these special places, and maintains a Web site (http://www.pc.gc.ca/clmhc-hsmbc/pm/index-eng.asp).

International Obligations

World Heritage Convention

Parks Canada is the lead federal agency for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Canada (http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/spm-whs/index-eng.asp).

It supports Canada’s obligations under the Convention, including maintenance of a documentation centre for program records. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee is responsible for placing properties on the World Heritage List. Parks Canada, provides monitoring reports, after a site’s inclusion on the World Heritage List, to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre. These demonstrate how the requirements of the World Heritage Convention are met in the management of Canadian World Heritage Sites.

World Heritage Sites

The World Heritage List recognizes that some places, either natural or cultural, are of outstanding value to humanity and therefore the responsibility of the international community. Participating nations pledge to care for world heritage sites in their own territory, and to avoid deliberate measures that could damage world heritage sites in other countries.

There are currently 830 properties on the World Heritage List, 13 of which are located in Canada.

Properties on Canada’s tentative list of sites to be formally nominated for consideration by the World Heritage Committee will be submitted at a maximum pace of one per year, as the relevant consultations, documentation and review are completed.

A decision on the inclusion of the Rideau Canal, the first of the 11 properties on Canada’s tentative list for World Heritage Sites to be formally nominated for consideration, will be made in 2007.
A nomination for the Joggins Fossil Cliffs in Nova Scotia was submitted for consideration by the World Heritage Committee in January 2007.

Other sites on Canada’s tentative list include:

• Áísínai’pi (Writing–On-Stone), Alberta;
• Quttinirpaaq, Nunavut; and
• Pimachiowin Aki/Woodland Caribou/Accord First Nations, Manitoba-Ontario.

Collaboration to Strengthen National and International Agreements

UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve Program recognizes special places where people and organizations have made a commitment to work in harmony with nature. Of the 13 biosphere reserves in Canada, 8 contain national or marine parks. Parks Canada is a member of the Canadian Biospheres Association (CBRA), provides funding to support some association activities, and plays an active role in those biosphere reserves that include national parks.

Program Activity 2: CONSERVE HERITAGE RESOURCES

Planned Spending ($ thousands) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

Conserve Heritage Resources	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	16,620	21,781	25,340	31,272	31,272	31,272
Salaries and Wages	114,057	109,240	108,867	108,867	108,867	108,867
Other Operating	115,754	75,874	74,983	74,747	74,747	74,747
Total	246,431	206,895	209,190	214,885	214,885	214,885
FTE	1,483	1,455	1,450	1,450	1,450	1,450

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
Other Operating includes Grants and Contributions
These numbers include Corporate Services
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

Conserving heritage resources includes the maintenance or improvement of ecological integrity in national parks; the sustainable use of national marine conservation areas and the protection of unique marine ecosystems; ensuring the commemorative integrity of national historic sites managed or influenced by Parks Canada; and the protection and management of cultural resources under the administration of Parks Canada that are not associated with national historic sites.

While many Canadians associate Parks Canada with the conservation of pristine natural places, few realize that almost eighty percent of the protected heritage areas it administers were specifically designated, not for their natural or ecological values, but to preserve an important aspect of, or moment in, our nation’s history. These include such sites as the Fortress of Louisbourg, Laurier House, Grosse Ile and the Irish Memorial, Rocky Mountain House, Fort Langley, and many, many more.

As the singer-songwriter and Companion of the Order-of-Canada Joni Mitchell wrote in Big Yellow Taxi, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Parks Canada is about conserving Canada’s cherished natural and cultural heritage, and ensuring that the qualities that led to their selection are not impaired, now or in the future. Once these wondrous heritage places are gone, they are gone forever.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

2. CONSERVE HERITAGE RESOURCES
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
5. Maintain or improve the ecological integrity of national parks, and the sustainability of national marine conservation areas.	7. Support maintaining and improving the commemorative integrity of national historic sites, and the state of heritage resources not administered by Parks Canada. 8. Develop fully functioning ecological integrity monitoring and reporting systems for all national parks by March 2008. 9. Develop selected indicators and protocols for measuring NMCA ecological sustainability by March 2009. 10. Improve aspects of the state of ecological integrity in each of Canada’s 42 national parks by March 2014. 11. Meet targets for five measures of environmental impacts of Parks Canada’s operations: greenhouse gas emissions, petroleum storage tanks, contaminated sites, halocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
6. Maintain or improve the commemorative integrity of national historic sites, and the state of other cultural resources administered by Parks Canada.	12. Complete NHS management plans, consistent with management plan guidelines, by March 2008. 13. Improve 75 % of the elements of commemorative integrity rated as poor to at least fair condition, within five years of the original assessment. 14. Improve the state of other cultural resources managed by Parks Canada by March 2014.
7. Support, maintain and improve the commemorative integrity of national historic sites and the state of heritage resources not administered by Parks Canada.	15 Other owners of national historic sites are aware of commemorative integrity, and have access to information on the best practices for maintaining it. 16. Provide advice, recommendations or certification of interventions to built cultural heritage consistent with The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada as opportunity permits.

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

Planned Result #5: Maintain or improve the ecological integrity of national parks and the sustainability of national marine conservation areas

One of the most important ways in which Parks Canada conserves heritage resources is through the management plan for each of Parks Canada’s administered protected heritage areas. The management planning process allows for stakeholder input and Agency reporting on management plan implementation. The plan guides decision-makers as they work to ensure the ecological or commemorative integrity or sustainable use of sites.

5.1 Ecological Integrity of National Parks

The Canada National Parks Act defines ecological integrity as:
“A condition that is determined to be characteristic of its natural region and likely to persist, including abiotic components and the composition and abundance of native species and biological communities, rates of changes and supporting processes.”

The Act states that

Building passion among Canadians for the protection of national parks is an integral element of building a culture of conservation (see PA3). This is the basis of Parks Canada’s efforts to maintain or improve ecological integrity in Canada’s national parks.

In 2005, an audit by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD) found that Parks Canada is acting on its ecological integrity commitments, but also noted some shortcomings. Parks Canada developed and is implementing an action plan in response to the CESD audit. The complete audit report can be found at http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/ html/c2005menu-eng.html.

Parks Canada will improve ecological integrity in Canada’s national parks through the implementation of the ecological integrity framework by investing in the following themes:

1. Scientific knowledge and better understanding of ecological integrity;
2. Active management and restoration;
3. Regional and Aboriginal partnerships; and,
4. Informing, involving and influencing Canadians.

1: Scientific knowledge and better understanding of ecological integrity

Scientific knowledge gained through the ecological integrity monitoring and reporting program, focusing on six to eight key ecological integrity indicators per park, will be the foundation for understanding, park planning and management, reporting and decision- making. Consistent with the Minister’s Round Table recommendations, stakeholders and local communities are involved in the development and implementation of monitoring systems.

2: Active Management and Restoration

Knowledge and understanding will guide decision-making and help establish restoration goals in national parks. Restoration will focus on the development of resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems that are characteristic of the park’s natural region. Active management, is the process through which restoration is achieved, will focus on:

1. Reintroducing fire into fire-dependent ecosystems;
2. Restoring biodiversity and impaired ecological processes, structures and functions; and,
3. Maintaining the sustainability of resources while appropriately enhancing visitor experiences.

New resources will allow expansion of restoration projects based on Agency-developed guidelines for ecosystem restoration. An inventory and prioritized set of restoration projects will be developed by March 2009. These projects will focus on maintaining biodiversity, rehabilitating ecological processes and reducing the negative impacts of top stressors.

Invasive species and diseases represent a significant threat to the economy, ecological integrity environment and society. The Parks Canada Agency will work with partners, to monitor the prevalence of, and manage, exotic species and zoonetic diseases in wildlife, to avoid unacceptable impacts on human health, ecosystems or livestock.

3: Regional and Aboriginal partnerships

National parks are usually core-protected areas within a larger ecosystem or landscape. By working with partners at the regional and local levels, Parks Canada will improve ecological integrity in national parks. Parks Canada will reach out to engage neighbouring communities and other governments, as well as the tourism sector and other businesses operating within greater park ecosystems, to accomplish its conservation goals. Examples of planned engagement include:

• Collaboration with community groups in discussions of land use outside a park, active involvement in data collection, and the holding of community meetings on conservation issues and community planning;
• eritage presentation events; and,
• Development of a new training course entitled “Skills for Working with Others: Planning and Getting Organized” to help in cooperative management efforts.

Aboriginal communities play an active and positive role in helping to establish and manage protected heritage areas, a strength that Parks Canada intends to build upon. For example, parks in Nunavut are incorporating Qaujimajatuqangit, an Inuit knowledge system, into park management decision-making.

4: Informing, Involving and Influencing Canadians

Reaching park visitors through learning programs is critical to building understanding and support for the maintenance of ecological integrity in national parks. New and enhanced programs will increase understanding of park ecosystems, will help address the ecological integrity challenges and threats faced at the park level, and also motivate Canadians to become involved in environmental stewardship
(see also PA3 and PA4).

Figure 12 : CESD 2005 Ecological Integrity Audit

Recommendation	Parks Canada Response
Parks Canada needs to ensure that updating management plans is a priority. Each park should assess its active management and restoration needs, establish clear objectives and key actions based on these needs, and identify gaps (2.39 in Audit Report).	National park management plans will be up-to-date and consistent with management plan guidelines that require definition or key objectives and actions by March 2010.
Parks Canada needs to ensure that measures to improve monitoring and restoration are completed and consistently implemented at the park level. This includes improvements to monitoring programs and implementation of the Agency’s data management system, as well as guidelines for monitoring and restoration.	A system-wide ecological integrity monitoring and reporting program will be fully functional by March 2008.
Parks need to establish clear objectives and actions for integrating public education and visitor experience with monitoring and restoration activities.	Guidelines for management planning promote the integration of monitoring and restoration activities with public education and visitor experience objectives.

Figure 13: Examples of active management and restoration projects

Park	Multi-year project	Investment
Prince Edward Island National Park of Canada: Reducing the “human footprint” and enhancing visitor experience.	Development of multi-use, active transportation corridor and vegetation restoration.	$6M
Banff National Park of Canada: Habitat restoration at Lake Louise.	Backcountry campground and trail adjustments to improve grizzly bear habitat; implementation of a public transportation system; and, infrastructure improvements at day-use areas.	$8M
La Mauricie National Park of Canada: Restoring ecological integrity of the lakes and streams.	Restoration of water levels and shoreline of selected lakes, reintroduction of native fish and development of a new concept of visitor experience.	$2.5M
Grasslands National Park of Canada: Restoring ecological processes.	Re-introducing bison; restoration of native prairie and managing exotic vegetation.	$1.3M
Jasper National Park of Canada: Montane ecosystem.	Reconfigure and expand the trail network and reclaim wildlife habitat.	$1.7M

Protecting and Recovering Species at Risk

Forty percent of Canada’s endangered and threatened species can be found in the protected heritage areas administered by Parks Canada. In these areas they are protected, along with their critical habitat, and Parks Canada supports species at risk recovery by implementing recovery strategies and action plans and conducting public education programs. The Agency will lead the development of recovery strategies for 15% of all species considered as threatened, endangered and extirpated in Canada under the Species at Risk Act.

More than 70 recovery projects are underway across Canada requiring an annual investment of more than $3 million. Much of the recovery work involves coordination with others at a broader ecosystem level, because species do not recognize park boundaries. In particular, five projects benefit multiple species at risk and ecological integrity at an ecosystem scale, through efforts that foster public engagement, collaboration and capacity-building.

5.2 Sustainability of National Marine Conservation Areas

National marine conservation areas are to be managed and used in a sustainable manner that meets the needs of present and future generations without compromising the structure and function of the ecosystems with which they are associated.

Parks Canada is an active partner in Canada’s Oceans Strategy, which is led by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Oceans Strategy seeks to address the increasing number of new demands being placed on our oceans, as well as the ongoing demands of the fishing and marine transportation industries. The Oceans Strategy’s challenge is to support this growth in activity, which supports jobs and gives Canada an important economic boost, concomitant with a strong commitment to maintaining and enhancing the well-being of the marine environment. For more on the Government of Canada’s policy framework to coordinate the management of ocean activities, please visit http://www.cos-soc.gc.ca/dir/cos-soc-eng.asp.

Parks Canada has focused on establishing new national marine conservation areas, and the Agency will develop selected indicators and protocols for measuring the ecological sustainability of current and future NMCAs.

Creating general public awareness and visitor appreciation through hands-on marine experiences, and reaching an understanding with partners of how NMCA’s are to be managed, are key to the creation of new marine areas and to protecting those already established.

Environmental Management

Parks Canada’s operations have an impact on maintaining the ecological integrity and commemorative integrity of Canada’s special heritage places. Parks Canada will manage its work to minimize environmental impact and take advantage of “green” technologies and practices.
Parks Canada will:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations by 5.2% from the 1998-1999 base-line level by 2010-2011;
• Assess each known and suspected contaminated site at areas for which it is responsible, and apply due diligence in the development of remediation or risk management plans for these sites;
• Manage and operate petroleum storage tanks and equipment containing halocarbons and PCBs in accordance with regulatory requirements;
• Manage park communities according to expectations of environmental sustainability, and be guided by the principles of “no net negative environmental impact” (see Program Activity 5); and,
• Improve the energy-efficiency of buildings, increase the use of renewable energy and increase employee awareness of environmental/energy efficiency issues.

For further background on the management of contaminated sites, please visit
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/dcgpubs/RealProperty/tbfcsswlip1-eng.asp

Planned Result 6: Maintain or improve the commemorative integrity of national historic sites, and the state of other cultural resources administered by Parks Canada.

A national historic site possesses commemorative integrity when: The resources directly related to the reasons for designation as a national historic site are not impaired or under threat; The reasons for designation as a national historic site are effectively communicated to the public; and, The site’s heritage values (including those not related to the reasons for designation as a national historic site) are respected in all decisions and actions affecting the site. Commemorative integrity is expressed in a commemorative integrity statement (CIS).

The family of national historic sites of Canada includes those administered by Parks Canada (154) and other federal government departments (52), as well as those owned by heritage agencies, corporations, other levels of government and private citizens (710).

The national historic sites administered by Parks Canada are operated in a number of ways. Some sites are fully operational, with their own staff and programs, while others have no staff or programming on location. A third approach is to provide site operations and services through a third party, on behalf of the Agency. Parks Canada will develop guidelines to clarify the consideration of options for management by third parties of national historic sites owned by Parks Canada.

Parks Canada will complete the management plans for the 154 national historic sites it administers by March 2008. The Agency will then establish a calendar for national historic site management plan reviews required under section 32.2 of the Parks Canada Agency Act.

The Agency assesses national historic sites using its commemorative integrity evaluation process. Based on the site’s CIS, the evaluation team examines and describes a resource’s condition. Parks Canada will improve the resource condition of 75% of the elements of commemorative integrity rated as poor to at least fair condition within five years of the original assessment, placing special emphasis at this time on built heritage assets. To facilitate this, a training strategy for cultural resource management will be developed, aimed at those who make decisions about Parks Canada’s national historic sites and other cultural resources, and those who have control of the national historic sites owned by others.

6.2 Other Cultural Resources Administered by Parks Canada

Other cultural resources are human works or places that show evidence of human activity or have spiritual or cultural meaning, and that have also been determined to have historic value, but that are not associated with national historic sites. These types of cultural resources are found throughout national parks and national marine conservation areas.

Two actions have been identified as the first steps towards improving the state of these cultural resources by 2014. The first, a 2006 pilot testing of an evaluation tool for use in national parks, has underlined the need for an inventory and evaluation of cultural resources. A strategy will be developed in order to chart progress in achieving the 2014 goal. The second area of activity is to continue reviewing Parks Canada’s collections of historic and archaeological objects. It is estimated that this multi-year, multi-disciplinary project will be completed in 2009-2010.

As the federal government’s agency responsible for administering the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office under the Treasury Board Policy on Real Property, and the custodian of the largest number of federal heritage buildings, Parks Canada will lead by example. To meet its obligations under the Treasury Board and Parks Canada Cultural Resource Management Policies, Parks Canada will assess and monitor the physical condition of all federal heritage buildings in national parks, and establish targets to ensure they are brought to a good state of repair.

In addition, Parks Canada is investigating the feasibility and user requirements of a national cultural resource information management system.

Parks Canada has adopted the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, and utilizes them in its stewardship of Canada’s national historic sites and other heritage properties (described in detail under the Historic Places Initiative section below).

Planned Result 7: Support maintaining and improving the commemorative integrity of national historic sites and the state of heritage resources not administered by Parks Canada.

The Historic Places Initiative (HPI)

Parks Canada plays both a leadership and partnership role under the Historic Places Initiative. The collaboration across jurisdictions to build a culture of heritage conservation through HPI is transforming the management of Canada’s historic places. Parks Canada will continue this effort by playing a leadership role in national policy fora that strengthens the delivery of heritage programs across the country. New opportunities will also be sought to extend the reach of these programs to heritage stakeholders, owners and stewards of historic places, Aboriginal people, and others. In addition, effort will be made to position heritage on the broader sustainable development agenda, and to identify and address barriers to heritage conservation.

It is also imperative for the federal government to become a model custodian of its own historic places. Parks Canada will work cooperatively with other federal departments, agencies and crown corporations, and will continue to develop legislative proposals to better protect national historic sites, federal heritage buildings and archaeological resources under federal jurisdiction. Given its status as an expert department with regard to built heritage and archaeology, Parks Canada will also provide advice, as required, to other federal departments.

Federal Heritage Buildings

Parks Canada will develop a strategy to report on the condition of national historic sites and federal heritage buildings administered by other federal departments.

Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada

The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (2005), developed through Parks Canada’s leadership, is the first pan-Canadian benchmark of standards and guidelines for heritage conservation. This is an important guidance tool that enables departments to ensure that the heritage character of buildings is respected and conserved throughout their life cycle. The standards and guidelines are an important tool to influence the condition of heritage resources not administered by Parks Canada. For further information, please visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/pc/guide/nldclpc-sgchpc/index-eng.asp.

All provinces and territories are distributing the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada to municipalities and citizens, and are using them in provincial or territorial programs supporting heritage conservation. Parks Canada will continue to work with provinces and territories to broaden the awareness and use of the Standards and Guidelines.

National Historic Sites of Canada Cost-Sharing Program

Parks Canada has directly engaged Canadians in helping to preserve and present non-federally administered national historic sites through the National Historic Sites Cost-Sharing Program. The Program contributes funds toward conservation and presentation projects on a cost-shared basis, to a maximum of one million dollars. Currently, the cost-sharing program is not open to new applications. However, it has modest funding to assist sites facing imminent threat or impairment. Parks Canada is prepared to enter into a small number of agreements to help address emergency conservation requirements at national historic sites under threat.

Interest in the cost-sharing program continues to grow. Two of every three non-Parks Canada national historic sites are without access to a sustainable source of support for protection and for conveying their history to Canadians. In that regard, Parks Canada is updating the program terms and conditions.

Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund

The Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund (CHPIF) was established in 2003 as a pilot program to encourage the rehabilitation of historic buildings. This $30 million fund will encourage heritage conservation over demolition. For further information, please visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/plp-hpp/itm1-/plp-hpp2a-eng.asp.

The CHPIF pilot project will continue to operate until all contribution agreements have been executed. Parks Canada will then evaluate this pilot project to determine what actions will be undertaken in the future.

Program Activity 3: PROMOTE PUBLIC APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING

Planned Spending ($ thousands) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	10,312	9,172	3,411	4,739	4,739	4,739
Salaries and Wages	47,390	15,985	15,857	15,715	15,715	15,715
Other Operating	15,778	9,073	8,363	8,363	8,363	8,363
Total	73,480	34,230	27,631	28,817	28,817	28,817
FTE	759	264	260	260	260	260

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
Other Operating includes Grants and Contributions
These numbers include Corporate Services
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

Promoting public appreciation and understanding involves programs and activities that are aimed at reaching Canadians at home, at leisure, at school and in their communities with relevant information and innovative learning opportunities that respond to their needs and interests. The objective is to inspire long-term support, involvement and shared stewardship in heritage protection and presentation by moving audiences along the engagement continuum: from awareness, to understanding, to appreciation, to support and involvement.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

3. Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
8. Encourage the support and involvement of Canadians and stakeholders and their knowledge and appreciation of Canada’s heritage places.	17. Develop indicators, expectations and protocols for measuring public appreciation and understanding of Canadians and stakeholders by May 2007.

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

1. Increase understanding of Canadian audiences

As society changes and immigration and urbanization increase, a lesser percentage of Canadians is aware of Canada’s national heritage. Reaching out to audiences across Canada, with an emphasis on connecting with youth, new Canadians and ethno-cultural communities, is critical to remaining relevant to Canadian citizens. Development of relevant learning and engagement opportunities for these new audiences will depend on an extensive program of audience research.

2. Use new technologies to connect with Canadians

The myriad of digital communications technologies that has exploded onto the scene in the last decade has changed the way people live, work, play, socialize and learn. Parks Canada will invest in the research and development of new and emerging technologies that have potential as tools to engage both visitors and outreach audiences.

Having successfully piloted a live interactive, video-conference program in 2006, Parks Canada will undertake a review of potential markets for live connectivity programs, to explore the use of communication technologies so that Canadians who do not visit parks or sites can still experience their cultural and natural heritage. Parks Canada will work collaboratively with the established network of museums, science centres, zoos and aquaria, as well as schools and school boards, to develop and deliver engaging real-time, interactive programs about Canada’s national heritage places, so that Canadians can experience them without leaving their communities.

3. Create urban learning venues

To reach Canadians in urban settings, Parks Canada will develop strategic alliances with the museum and science centre community, to integrate natural and cultural heritage conservation messages into their exhibits and programs, and to provide interactive programs that Canadians can experience. Parks Canada will continue its urban outreach efforts through a network of urban discovery centres; for example, with ongoing programming at Canada’s Marine Discovery Centre in Hamilton. The Government of Canada is also redeveloping and expanding the existing Old Port of Quebec interpretation centre, creating a second Discovery Centre as part of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City in 2008.

4. Reach youth in the classroom

Parks Canada’s goal is that all Canadian students will have opportunities in their school careers to learn about the important stories and places that are represented by Canada’s national historic sites, national marine conservation areas and national parks. The Parks Canada in Schools initiative will focus on collaboration with the formal education community in each province and territory, to influence curriculum and teaching resource development. Linking with ministries of education, teachers associations, textbook publishers and university education departments provides opportunities to create a multiplier effect that will extend Parks Canada’s reach.

5. Reach Canadians at home through electronic media

Based on an increased understanding of its web audiences, Parks Canada will enhance its website by developing a more dynamic trip planning tool and new tailored content. Parks Canada will also explore new web technologies to connect with youth and create and strengthen relationships with visitors.

Television remains a powerful medium for reaching Canadians in their homes. Parks Canada will develop strategic partnerships with producers and broadcasters. These alliances will expand the nationwide reach of Parks Canada’s natural and cultural heritage content to new audiences. Parks Canada will continue its alliance with Canadian Geographic magazine on the popular television program CG Kids, and will work with OMNI television and Rogers Media Television on programming to introduce new Canadians to Canada’s systems of national historic sites and national parks.

6. Make Parks Canada more visible

Parks Canada will, by 2008, develop a distinctive and strong national brand built on an integrated perspective of the protection, education and visitor experience mandate elements. Founded on the attributes of authenticity, personal connection, national importance, service quality and value, the brand will build impressions and awareness of Parks Canada’s mandate, and will serve as basis of engagement for key target audiences, including staff and partners.

Through national, regional and local events and ceremonies, together with targeted media relations supported by a strong corporate identity program, Canadians’ awareness of the mandate of the Parks Canada Agency in protecting, presenting and facilitating enjoyment of Canada’s cultural and natural heritage will increase.

7. Support Canadians as stewards

The Parks and People program, a collaboration with Nature Canada and community-based naturalist groups in its third year, will continue to offer an increasing number of inner city youth with memorable outdoor learning experiences in national parks, provincial parks and local municipal parks, as motivation to discover Canada’s national heritage and to become active stewards of the environment.

8. Engage partners and stakeholders

Parks Canada recognizes that stakeholder and partner involvement at the national, regional and local level is essential to achieving its mandate of protection, understanding and experience. The Agency will move beyond simple stakeholder consultation, to more fully involve stakeholders and partners in ways that bring their unique perspectives to influence Parks Canada’s planning and management.

One of the highest expressions of commitment, volunteering is a tangible demonstration of public belief in an organization and its goals. Parks Canada has had active volunteer and cooperative association programs for 28 and 25 years, respectively. Canadians have expressed an ongoing interest in being involved and participating in Parks Canada programs and the Agency will strive to create and support such opportunities.

Parks Canada will develop new performance measures to more specifically assess progress in partner and stakeholder engagement by March 2008.

Program Activity 4: ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Planned Spending ($ thousands) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

Enhance Visitor Experience	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	35,488	55,356	62,054	67,170	67,170	67,170
Salaries and Wages	114,020	149,480	150,252	150,157	150,157	150,157
Other Operating	52,135	62,491	60,416	60,416	60,416	60,416
Total	201,643	267,327	272,721	277,742	277,742	277,742
FTE	1,474	1,986	1,996	1,995	1,995	1,995

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
Other Operating includes Grants and Contributions
These numbers include Corporate Services
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

More than 22 million visits are made annually to Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. The visitor experience is the cumulative outcome of all aspects of each visit, including interactions with Parks Canada and its partners. It includes client focused services, programs and infrastructure that support the provision of pre- and on-site trip planning information, reception and orientation, interpretation, campgrounds, hiking trails and other recreational activities, visitor safety and the ongoing post-visit relationship. The personal experiences fostered by these activities lead to an appreciation and support of Canada’s system of special heritage places.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

4. ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCE
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
9. Facilitate experiences that provide learning opportunities, visitor satisfaction and personal connections.	18. 10% increase in the number of visits to targeted national historic sites by March 2008. 19. 50% of visitors to national parks and national marine conservation areas, and 80% of visitors to national historic sites, will participate in learning experiences at all surveyed sites. 20. 85% of visitors are satisfied, and 50% are very satisfied, with their experience at all surveyed sites. 21. Optimize the number of visitors who report a personal connection to the park or site visited (target to be established by October 2007).

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

1. Understand current and potential visitors’ needs and expectations to support management decision-making

The needs, expectations and behaviors of Canadian and international visitors are constantly evolving. It is essential that Parks Canada enrich its social science program to improve its knowledge and understanding of visitors’ needs and expectations, to improve the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of decision making related to better influencing and meeting visitor interests.

Parks Canada will monitor and conduct research on the changing social landscape, to understand and respond to emerging and evolving trends in tourism, recreation, leisure and society. Public opinion polling will be used to understand Canadian attitudes toward, and knowledge of, protected heritage areas. On-site research tools such as the Visitor Information Program will continue to be adapted to respond to these requirements.

Parks Canada will develop mechanisms to evaluate the broad range of current products and services that are offered. Such evaluation will assist the Agency in identifying where improvements can be made so that messaging, and the products, services and facilities offered, remain relevant.

2. Provide visitor experience opportunities at Canada’s heritage places for targeted visitor segments

The range of opportunities for visitors at Canada’s special heritage places will be enhanced through product development, marketing and service delivery; all of which will be based on a visitor-focused approach. To support Agency wide implementation, emphasis will be placed on national tools, policies and services, and also on integrating and linking them to the Agency’s established business and management planning processes. Targets, performance expectations, indicators and processes that assess the participation by targeted visitor segments in opportunities offered will be developed.

The visitor experience assessment tool, developed and piloted in 2005, is a key instrument for planning, designing, implementing and monitoring visitor experience opportunities at the park and site level.

It will be applied widely within the Agency over the next five years with a focus on targeting the national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas that have the highest visitation, in order to optimize the experiences of a majority of the visitors. Twenty-five assessments are planned for 2007-2008, for a total of 41 completed by March 2008.

Day-use areas, trails, campgrounds, visitor centres, parking, signage and roads make a fundamental contribution to the experience available to visitors. The Agency will develop national criteria so that visitor experience considerations become part of the process when infrastructure recapitalization investment decisions are made.

Parks Canada is finalizing the Recreational Activities Assessment Framework, an important management tool for decision-making regarding the activities and events that take place within the national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas. The framework is being developed in an innovative and collaborative fashion with the involvement of stakeholders and practitioners. It is planned for full implementation in 2008.

Enriched personal programming is one of the most powerful ways to engage the hearts and minds of visitors, and is at the core of many meaningful visitor experiences. Targeted investments will place increased emphasis on research and partnership building, and will ensure that Parks Canada, in collaboration with partners, continues to develop and deliver high quality, professional and authentic learning opportunities.

With the rapid advancement of wireless communications and global positioning system technologies, and the convergence of communications devices, the feasibility of using location-based technologies has greatly improved. Parks Canada is investing in the assessment of location-based technologies to enhance the on-site learning and visitor experiences at the national parks and national historic sites.

3. Invest in services, programs and staff to meet target audiences’ needs and expectations

The Agency will maintain its commitment to offer programs, services and facilities in a manner that builds on Parks Canada’s reputation for high standards of quality, cleanliness and safety, and respects its commitment to the protection of the heritage values of national heritage places.

To increase the national consistency of the Agency’s service delivery, and to ensure that services are responsive to client expectations, formal national service and operational guidelines and standards will be developed and applied consistently across the program. These guidelines will form the basis of future training programs, and will be an integral part of the Parks Canada brand promise.

The Agency will continue to emphasize the role that all Parks Canada staff play in engaging visitors and facilitating their meaningful experiences. Parks Canada is building a national network of practitioners, specialists and professionals with training in quality visitor services and outstanding visitor experiences. New emphasis will be placed on responding to the training needs of all staff in relation to product development, and the key role of interpretation.

Ongoing research and monitoring is guiding the improvement of the Parks Canada Reservation Service (PCRS) and the toll-free Information Transaction Centre (ITC) (1-888-773-8888). In 2006, more than 90,000 clients used the PCRS while more than 80,000 used the ITC. These services will be continually adjusted to make sure that they meet users needs and expectations.

In 2005, Parks Canada collaborated with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) on the release of a revised Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism for Canada. The code includes guidelines related to influencing visitor use and expectations through marketing and pre-trip materials, and for minimizing the impacts of tourism on the natural and cultural environment. Parks Canada will integrate the use of the code in its management practices and accountability framework, and will continue to promote the awareness and use of the code with its tourism stakeholders and service partners in every province and territory. Further information on the code is found at: http://www.tiac-aitc.ca/english/codeofethics.asp.

Parks Canada’s public safety program reduces the frequency and severity of visitor safety incidents through a comprehensive, integrated risk management approach. Parks Canada will implement a new updated policy in 2007-2008, with improved provisions for program reporting and visitor risk management planning. It will emphasize that visitor safety is a shared responsibility for visitors and Parks Canada alike.

Program Activity 5: Townsite Management

Planned Spending ($ thousands) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

Townsite Management	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	4,350	4,532	4,657	4,865	4,865	4,865
Salaries and Wages	4,780	4,513	4,502	4,502	4,502	4,502
Other Operating	3,737	3,620	3,616	3,616	3,616	3,616
Total	12,867	12,665	12,775	12,983	12,983	12,983
FTE	103	100	100	100	100	100

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
Other Operating includes Grants and Contributions
These numbers include Corporate Services
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

Parks Canada is directly responsible for managing and operating five townsites in national parks, and for providing municipal services such as drinking water, snow removal, garbage pick-up and disposal, sewage treatment, road and street maintenance, and fire services to support visitors and residents. Two other townsites, Banff and Jasper, have been self-governed since 1990 and 2002, respectively. Parks Canada retains authority for community plans and by-laws in Banff, and for community plans, land-use planning and development in Jasper.

Townsites are important staging areas for visitors to national park and national historic sites, home to businesses and residents, and administrative centers for Parks Canada operations. Their permanent populations range from 350 to 1900. Overnight visitors in commercial accommodation and campgrounds increase these numbers to 750 and more than 7500 in the summer months.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

5. Townsite Management
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
10. Provide responsible environmental stewardship and heritage conservation.	22. Meet targets for legislated limits to growth, sewage effluent quality and management of contaminated sites and set targets for solid waste diversion and water conservation by March 31, 2008. 23. Townsites meet their targets for the protection of priority heritage assets owned by Parks Canada.

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

Planned Result 10: Provide responsible environmental stewardship and heritage conservation

Parks Canada has responsibilities under the Canada National Parks Act to prepare community plans for each community located inside the borders of a national park. These five townsites are: Field in Yoho National Park of Canada, British Columbia; Lake Louise in Banff National Park of Canada, Alberta; Wasagaming in Riding Mountain National Park of Canada, Manitoba; Waskesiu in Prince Albert National Park of Canada, Saskatchewan; and Waterton, in Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada, Alberta.

Parks Canada and the Waskesiu Community Council are currently negotiating a self-government agreement. If such an agreement is finalized, Parks Canada will retain authority for land-use planning and development in Waskesiu.

Community Plans

Community plans provide a strategy for the management of growth, guidance on enhancing visitor experience and promotion of public understanding and appreciation. Such plans help ensure that national park values are reflected as visitor expectations are met. The plans will be reviewed in collaboration with those living and working inside the national parks, the visiting public and Parks Canada.

Four principles guide community plans:

1. No net negative environmental impact;
2. Leadership in environmental stewardship and heritage conservation;
3. Responsible growth management; and,
4. Visitor experience and public education.

1. No Net Negative Environmental Impact

The principle of no net negative environmental impact (3NEI) is applied to all national park townsites, to ensure that these communities do not negatively affect the ecological health of the national parks in which they are located. The 3NEI frameworks will be monitored against performance expectations, and the Agency will work with the communities to refine indicators and management systems to support reporting.

2. Leadership in Environmental Stewardship and Heritage Conservation

Parks Canada will work to ensure communities are models of environmental stewardship. New technologies and best management practice will be developed with the tourism industry and communities and information exchanged; the Agency will upgrade water sewage treatment infrastructure to meet or exceed national and provincial standards; and, it will conserve priority heritage buildings and ensure new development is compatible in design and quality with existing neighbourhoods.

3. Responsible Growth Management

Social and economic needs of communities will be addressed within defined limits to commercial growth, and established and legislated zoning and boundaries.

4. Visitor Experience and Public Education

The character of a community will reflect its setting in a national park, and new business applications and development will respect the national park’s character. Basic and essential services and facilities will meet the needs and expectations of visitors and residents, contribute to visitor experiences, and promote public understanding. Development will respect architectural and landscape guidelines and growth limits. Municipal utility services (water, sewer and garbage collection) will be fully cost recovered.

Program Activity 6: THROUGHWAY MANAGEMENT

Planned Spending ($ thousands) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

THROUGHWAY MANAGEMENT	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	45,014	35,506	36,650	29,890	24,890	24,890
Salaries and Wages	14,027	12,758	12,728	12,728	12,728	12,728
Other Operating	17,219	13,271	13,254	13,254	13,254	13,254
Total	76,259	61,535	62,633	55,873	50,873	50,873
FTE	258	241	241	241	241	241

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
Other Operating includes Grants and Contributions
These numbers include Corporate Services
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

Throughway management involves the operation, maintenance and repair of roads, bridges, provincial and inter-provincial highways and waterways that connect communities and pass through national parks and national historic sites.

Parks Canada is responsible for approximately 868 kilometres of provincial and inter-provincial highways, including six sections of the Trans-Canada and Yellowhead highways. This responsibility stems from the location of these sections of the highways within national park boundaries. The highways are integral to Canada’s national highways system, and some have significant year-round traffic volumes, ranging from 1.4 to 5.7 million vehicles per year.

Parks Canada is responsible for nine national historic canals and waterways, including the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Rideau, Lachine and Chambly canals. There are more than 650 kilometres of waterway and 25,000 square kilometers of drainage basin involved.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

6. Throughway Management
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
11. Provide safe highways, open to through traffic, and minimize their environmental impacts.	24. Highways are open to through traffic. 25. Maintain highways in a condition that minimizes risk to users. 26. Minimize environmental impacts of highways.
12. Maintain condition of waterways, carry out water control functions, and meet water level obligations.	27. 75 % of waterway assets are maintained in at least fair condition. 28. Develop inventory of water control obligations, targets, and protocols for measuring compliance by March 2008.

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

Planned Result 11: Open, safe highways with minimal ecological impact

Parks Canada has an obligation to keep highways and waterways open and operating safely, while minimizing their environmental impact.

There are 97 highway bridges and over-passes within the boundaries of national heritage areas in eight provinces. On the canal and waterway systems, there are far greater numbers of bridges, over-passes and dams. To ensure due diligence and to protect these critical structures, the Agency will enhance its infrastructure inspection program to meet industry standards.

Trans-Canada Highway Twinning

In October 2006, the Government announced, as part of the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative, $37 million over four years, for additional twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs through Banff National Park of Canada. The money will help to:

1. Improve motorist public safety;
2. Reduce wildlife-vehicle conflicts;
3. Foster other related environmental improvements; and,
4. Increase the efficient movement of people and goods.

Parks Canada will continue to seek new funding to complete the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway through Banff National Park of Canada, and the mitigation of undesirable impacts on wildlife and vegetation that will result from the twinning.

Parks Canada’s will minimize the environmental impact of highways running through national heritage areas. Elements of a highway’s specific ecological reporting framework will be integrated into park-specific ecological integrity frameworks (see PA 2).

Planned Result 12: Waterway Management

Parks Canada has custodial responsibilities for a complex system of canals, bridges, dams and locks. Parks Canada operates nine historic canals that vary considerably in size and scope. The largest, the Trent-Severn Waterway runs 386 kilometres from Trenton on Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay, while the Rideau Canal consists of 47 locks and runs 202 kilometres. The waterway management aspect represents a significant responsibility for Parks Canada. Waterway management includes flood control in support of property owners and communities, maintaining navigation levels for pleasure and commercial watercraft, protection of wetlands and habitat for species at risk, and provision of water for power generation. It also includes the maintenance of the dams and bridges that are critical to managing the water levels, and connect the communities that surround the canals.

Parks Canada will embark on a program to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are balanced with the fundamental requirement of ensuring that waterways are safe, open to through traffic and minimize environmental impact. The Agency will enhance its infrastructure inspection program to assess structures against industry standards.

In 2006, the Agency announced the establishment of the independent Trent-Severn Review Panel. The Panel will take a comprehensive look at all aspects of this important waterway, and consult extensively with other levels of government, interest groups and citizens on the future vision for this waterway that directly and indirectly affects almost seven million people.

 

Section III: Financial Information and Tables

Source of Funds 2007-2008

Alignment to Government of Canada Outcome Areas

The Agency program activities align with Government of Canada outcome areas as follows in Figure 14.

Figure 14: Agency Links to Government of Canada Outcome Areas (in thousands of dollars)

2007-2008
Program Acivity	Budgetary			Total Main Estimate	Adjustments (planned spending not in Main Estimate)	Total Planned Spending
	Operating	Capital	Grants and Contributions
1. Establish Heritage Places	23,845	781	23	24,649	336	24,985
2. Conserve Heritage Resources	170,446	21,781	6,865	199,092	7,803	206,895
3. Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding	24,853	9,172	189	34,214	16	34,230
4. Enhance Visitor Experience	228,851	38,355	0	267,206	121	267,327
5. Townsite Management	8,127	4,532	0	12,659	5	12,664
6. Throughway Management	26,002	35,506	0	61,508	27	61,535
Total	482,124	110,127	7,077	599,328	8,308	607,636

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Program Activity		Link to Government of Canada Outcome Area
1. Establish Heritage Places.
	• national parks and national marine conservation areas	Clean and healthy environment
	• national historic sites	Vibrant Canadian culture and heritage
2. Conserve Heritage Resources.
	• ecological integrity of national parks and sustainability of national marine conservation areas	Clean and healthy environment
	• commemorative integrity of cultural resources	Vibrant Canadian culture and heritage
3. Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding.		Vibrant Canadian culture and heritage.
4. Enhance Visitor Experience		Vibrant Canadian culture and heritage.
5. Townsite Management		Safe and secure communities
6. Throughway Management
	• highways	Strong economic growth
	• historic waterways	Vibrant Canadian culture and heritage

TABLE 1: AGENCY PLANNED SPENDING AND FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)

	Forecast Spending 2006 - 2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Establish Heritage Places	26,090	24,649	24,078	23,718	23,718	23,718
Conserve Heritage Resources	215,622	199,092	202,604	208,299	208,299	208,299
Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding	68,081	34,214	27,631	28,817	28,817	28,817
Enhance Visitor Experience	196,804	267,206	272,721	277,742	277,742	277,742
Townsite Management	12,775	12,659	12,775	12,983	12,983	12,983
Throughway Management	58,682	61,508	62,633	55,873	50,873	50,873
Total Main Estimates	578,054	599,328	602,443	607,433	602,433	602,433
Adjustments:
Carry Forward from 2005-2006	42,826
Supplementary Estimates A:
Funding for the settlement of litigation due to the nature and scope of Parks Canada’s operations	6,587
Funding to support the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City in 2008 (horizontal item)	3,599
Compensation for salary adjustments (horizontal item)	1,520
Funding related to the assessment, management and remediation of federal contaminated sites (horizontal item)	1,358
Funding for the continuing implementation of the Historic Places Initiative which aims to conserve and celebrate Canada’s historic places	1,000
Funding for a settlement agreement with the Deh Cho First Nation that provides direction for land, resource and governance negotiations under the Deh Cho Process and which cooperatively resolves issues related to the review of the Mackenzie Gas Project	233
Less: 2006 Expenditure Restraint	-3,045
Less: Spending authorities available within the Vote	-3,025
Less: 2005 Expenditure Review Committee Savings – Procurement	-2,690
Transfer from Canadian Heritage – For the policy activities related to Parks Canada as a result of government restructuring	800
Transfer from Canadian Heritage – In support of activities to advance the creation of cultural content on-line and other digitization projects (Canadian Culture On-Line Program) (horizontal item)	474
Transfer from National Defence – For investments in search and rescue coordination initiatives across Canada (horizontal item)	269
Transfer from National Defence – For the transfer of land located at 57B St. Louis in Quebec City	74
Supplementary Estimates B:
Funding for costs associated to upgrading a section of the Trans-Canada Highway from a two-lane undivided highway to a four-lane divided highway in Banff National Park in order to improve public safety and accommodate the increased volume in commercial as well as tourist traffic	5,000
Funding for costs of suppressing wildfires within the boundaries of Parks Canada properties to minimize the risk associated to public safety and loss of infrastructure and private property.	7,680
Less: 2006 Expenditure Restraint	-875
Transfer from Treasury Board Secretariat – Funding to help defray the costs associated to a feasibility study for the construction and operation of a Parks Canada Discovery Centre in Lake Ontario Park	863
Other
TB Vote 5	5,309
TB Vote 15	2,271
Employee Benefit Plan (EBP)	1,149
Internal Audit – TB Vote 10	96	268
Delivering Results under the Species at Risk Act		6,586	6,586	6,586	6,586	6,586
Beyond Powley: Management of Métis Aboriginal Rights		1,129
Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement		325	75	75	75	75
Total Adjustments	71,473	8,308	6,661	6,661	6,661	6,661
Total Planned Spending	649,527	607,636	609,104	614,094	609,094	609,094
Total Planned Spending	649,527	607,636	609,104	614,094	609,094	609,094
Plus: Cost of services received without charge	38,311	38,902	38,960	39,029	39,157	39,235
Net Cost of Program	687,838	646,538	648,064	653,123	648,251	648,329
Full Time Equivalents	4,200	4,161	4,161	4,153	4,153	4,153

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

TABLE 2: VOTED AND STATUTORY ITEMS
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)

Voted or Statutory Items	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2007-2008 Main Estimates	2006-2007 Main Estimates
25	Program expenditures	447,022	428,730
30	Payment to the New Parks and Historic Sites Account	2,300	3,000
(S)	Expenditures equivalent to revenues resulting from the conduct of operations pursuant to section 20 of the Parks Canada Agency Act	104,000	100,000
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	46,006	46,324
	Total Agency	599,328	578,054

TABLE 3: SERVICES RECEIVED WITHOUT CHARGE
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)

2007-2008
Contributions covering employers’ share of employees’ insurance premiums and expenditures paid by TBS	17,408
Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)	15,513
Services provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage for information management, information technology, finance, human resources and administrative support	3,864
Salary and associated expenditures of legal services provided by Justice Canada	1,130
Audit services provided by the Office of the Auditor General	530
Workers compensation coverage provided by Social Development Canada	457
Total 2007-2008 Services received without charge	38,902

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals show

TABLE 4: SUMMARY OF CAPITAL SPENDING BY PROGRAM ACTIVITY (IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)

	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-20010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Establish Heritage Places	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000
Conserve Heritage Resources	16,620	21,781	25,340	31,272	31,272	31,272
Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding	10,312	9,172	3,411	4,739	4,739	4,739
Enhance Visitor Experience	35,488	55,356	62,054	67,170	67,170	67,170
Townsite Management	4,350	4,532	4,657	4,865	4,865	4,865
Throughway Management	45,014	35,506	36,650	29,890	24,890	24,890
Total	112,784	127,346	133,111	138,935	133,935	133,935

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

TABLE 5: SOURCES OF RESPENDABLE REVENUE
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)

	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-20010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding
Heritage Presentation Programs	827	849	935	935	935	935
	827	849	935	935	935	935
Enhance Visitor Experience
Entrance Fees	43,900	45,180	50,300	50,300	50,300	50,300
Camping Fees	17,611	18,131	20,211	20,211	20,211	20,211
Lockage and Mooring Fees	2,648	2,728	3,048	3,048	3,048	3,048
Pools	3,603	3,603	3,603	3,603	3,603	3,603
Other Recreational Fees	3,769	3,867	4,261	4,261	4,261	4,261
	71,531	73,509	81,423	81,423	81,423	81,423
Townsite Management
Municipal Service Fees	2,676	2,676	2,676	2,676	2,676	2,676
	2,676	2,676	2,676	2,676	2,676	2,676
Other Revenue
Real Property and Business Fees	17,614	17,614	17,614	17,614	17,614	17,614
Miscellaneous	7,352	9,352	8,352	8,352	8,352	8,352
	24,966	26,966	25,966	25,966	25,966	25,966
Total Respendable Revenues	100,000	104,000	111,000	111,000	111,000	111,000

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

TABLE 6: PLANNED USER FEE ACTIVITIES FOR NEW OR AMENDED FEES

Name of User Fee	Fee Type	Fee Setting Authority 1	Reason for Planned Fee Introduction of Amendment to Fee	Effective date of planned change	Complete/Planned Consultation & Review Process
National Park and National Historic Site Entry Fees – Approved (Amended). Riding Mountain (Daily Adult) e.g. $6.90 to $7.90	Service	Parks Canada Agency Act	Rebuild or replace deteriorated visitor facilities using new revenues from fee increases.	2007/08, 2008/09	Four-year fee strategy was approved in June 2005. Prior to being approved, this strategy was subject to consultations carried out between November 2003 and February 2004, and was tabled in Parliament as required by the User Fees Act. The fee increases approved for 2005/06 and 2006/07 have been implemented. Remaining increases will be implemented in 2007/08 and 2008/09. As all Parks Canada fees are tax inclusive; the Agency completed a program wide reduction of 1% GST effective July 1, 2006 in response to government direction.
National Park Camping Fees – Approved (Amended). Front Country Camping e.g. $24.75 to $25.75	Service	Parks Canada Agency Act	As above	2007/08, 2008/09
Historic Canal Lockage Fees – Approved (Amended). One Day Lockage e.g. $1.55 to $1.65 (per foot of boat length)	Service	Parks Canada Agency Act	As above	2008/09
National Park and National Historic Site Recreation Fees Approved (Amended). Cross Country Skiing e.g. $6.90 to $7.90 (Daily Adult)	Service	Parks Canada Agency Act	As above	2007/08, 2008/09
Fishing License Fees – Approved (Amended). Seasonal e.g. $34.65 (at maximum in 2007)	Rights and Privileges	Parks Canada Agency Act	To earn a fair return for the use of publicly owned resources and use the associated revenue to rebuild visitor facilities.	2007/08, 2008/09
Hot Pool Fees – Proposed (Amended). Radium Hot Springs e.g. $6.40 to $8.50 (Daily Adult)	Service	Parks Canada Agency Act	Maintain current level of service using new revenues from fee increases.	2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10	Consultations on a four-year fee were completed in the fall of 2005. A focused three-pronged approach was used: meetings with commercial group tour operators at travel trade shows; focus group sessions with frequent users of the three facilities and letters to elected officials. Pursuant to the User Fees Act, this proposal will be tabled in Parliament prior to being submitted for approval.
Business Licenses – Proposed (Amended). Restaurant e.g. $99.05 to $200 per year	Rights and Privileges	Parks Canada Agency Act	To earn a fair return for the commercial use of publicly owned resources.	2008/09	Parks Canada consulted on a business license fees proposal with business operators, business associations, chambers of commerce, elected officials, provincial parks and tourism ministries, national tourism organizations, park stakeholder groups and Canadians generally in July and August 2005. Pursuant to the User Fees Act, this proposal will be tabled in Parliament prior to being submitted for approval.

¹ According to Sections 23 and 24 of the Parks Canada Agency Act, the Minister sets all fees and charges for rights and privileges

TABLE 7: DETAILS ON PROJECT SPENDING

Quebec City – Dufferin Terrace Stabilization & Major Repairs
Quebec City – Old Port of Quebec Interpretation Centre enhancements
Central Ontario – Bolsover Dam Replacement
Banff NP – Trans Canada Highway Twinning
For further information on the above-mentioned projects see http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/estime.asp

	Current Estimated Total Cost	Forecast Spending to 31-Mar-07	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Future Years Spending
Conserve Heritage Resources
Quebec
Quebec City – Dufferin Terrace Stabilization & Major Repairs	11.6	5.7	2.9	0.6	2.4	–
Ontario
Central Ontario – Bolsover Dam Replacement	14.1	1.2	11.9	1.0	–	–
Promote Public Appreciation & Understanding
Quebec
Quebec City – Old Port of Quebec Interpretation Centre enhancements	24.0	6.9	14.7	2.4	–	–
Throughway Management
Alberta
Banff NP – Trans Canada Highway Twinning	87.0	40.8	24.2	17.0	5.0	–

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TABLE 8: DETAILS ON TRANSFER PAYMENT PROGRAMS

Contribution in support of the Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund
Historic Places Initiative Class Contribution Program
General Class Contribution Program
For further information on the above-mentioned transfer payment programs see http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/estime.asp

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Contribution in support of the Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund
Start Date: 2003-2004			End Date: October 31, 2007 (Option to extend to October 2008)
Purpose of Transfer Payment Program: Engage a broad range of businesses in the task of preserving Canada’s commercial heritage properties
Expected results: Participation of private sector partners (taxable Canadian corporations) in preserving Canada’s heritage through rehabilitation of historic properties for commercial or rental use.
Expected outcomes: Better preservation and protection of Canada’s historic places and greater public and private sector awareness of the importance of conservation and of the significance of Canada’s historic places. Ensuring that more historic properties are “given a function in the life of communities” through use for commercial or rental purposes.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Program Activity: Conserve Heritage Resources
Total Contributions	6,089	7,448	8,595	0	0	0
Name of Transfer Payment Program: Historic Places Initiative Class Contribution Program
Start Date: 2002-2003			End Date: Ongoing (with renewal every 5 years)
Purpose of Transfer Payment Program: To provide direct support for provinces and territories to participate in the development of the Canadian Register of Historic Places and the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, and to engage municipalities, stakeholders and the general public in the conservation of historic places.
Expected results: Ongoing population and maintenance of the Canadian Register of Historic Places; refinement and dissemination of national Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places; partnership between Parks Canada and provincial and territorial authorities to identify, preserve and protect Canada’s historic places; and creation of the basis for further initiatives to encourage preservation and protection of Canada’s historic places.
Expected outcomes: Better preservation and protection of Canada’s historic places; and greater public awareness of the importance of conservation and of the significance of Canada’s historic places.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Program Activity: Conserve Heritage Resources
Total Contributions	7,000	5,000	5,000	5,000	5,000	5,000
Name of Transfer Payment Program: General Class Contribution Program (GCCP)
Start Date: 2006-2007			End Date: Ongoing (with renewal every 5 years)
Purpose of Transfer Payment Program: The GCCP is atypical in that it is not a program within itself; rather, it is a funding authority available to Agency managers. From time to time, Agency managers with programming responsibilities may determine that, given their priorities, available resources, other program delivery mechanisms already in place, and the players and environment in which they deliver their programs, use of a contribution agreement is the most effective means of achieving program objectives.
Expected results: More Canadians recognizing, appreciating and being engaged in the values of natural and cultural conservation. Stakeholders being further engaged in terms of interest and involvement of common objectives towards ecological or cultural integrity. Access to a better knowledge base on commercial, ecological or aboriginal issues of mutual interest for informed decision-making and dialogue for Parks Canada managers and stakeholders. Heritage assets are protected, secured and researched. Targeted audiences are educated in such areas as ecology, safety and other issues.
Expected outcomes: The expected outcomes mirror the Parks Canada mandate of engaging Canadians in preserving and presenting Canada’s rich diversity of cultural and natural heritage.
	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Program Activities
Establish Heritage Places	96	228	23	23	23	23
Conserve Heritage Resources	512	1,090	474	117	117
Promote Public Appreciation and Understanding	1,242	301	189	189	189	189
Enhance Visitor Experience	145
Townsite Management	11	37	37	37
Total Contributions	2,006	1,656	723	366	329	212

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

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TABLE 9: NEW PARKS AND HISTORIC SITES ACCOUNT – SOURCE AND USE OF FUNDS (IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)

	Forecast Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-20010	Planned Spending 2010-2011	Planned Spending 2011-2012
Source of Funds
from Payment Vote 30	3,000	2,300	2,300	2,300	2,300	2,300
from Sale of Land and Buildings	600	300	300	300	300	300
from General Donations	8	0	0	0	0	0
from Carry Forward of Previous Years	14,922	16,530	13,310	10,010	9,435	9,735
Total	18,530	19,130	15,910	12,610	12,035	12,335
Use of Funds
for Capital Projects	2,000	4,820	3,900	1,175	1,000	1,000
for Cost Sharing Contributions	0	1,000	2,000	2,000	1,300	1,300
Total	2,000	5,820	5,900	3,175	2,300	2,300

Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

TABLE 10: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

In December 2006, the Minister of the Environment tabled the 2007-2009 Parks Canada Agency Sustainable Development Strategy in Parliament. The complete SDS document is accessible at: http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/pc/strat/sdd-sds-2007/index-eng.asp. Parks Canada is in the business of sustainable development. The mandate aligns well with the goals of sustainable development. The business of Parks Canada is the protection and presentation of significant examples of Canada’s history and culture and representative examples of Canada’s ecosystems and biodiversity. The Agency mandate defines and is identical to its strategic outcome; that is, the desired end product of all its activities. Parks Canada’s strategic outcome includes two important subsets of sustainable economic policy; Agency activities contribute to the attainment of sustainable economic growth and a clean and healthy environment. The table below provides some detail on six of the key objectives of the Parks Canada SDS.
1. SDS Agency Goal: 1.1 Parks Canada will create national parks and national marine conservation areas in unrepresented regions. 1.2 Parks Canada will conduct ecological monitoring and reporting on the state of ecosystems in national parks and national marine conservation areas. 1.3 Parks Canada will designate and commemorate places, persons and events of national historic significance, particularly in under-represented priority areas. 1.4 Parks Canada will develop learning opportunities that help bring about a culture of conservation through partnerships, increased understanding of key audiences, and the use of best practices in the areas of environmental education, place-based education and social marketing. 1.5 Parks Canada will provide meaningful opportunities by facilitating experiential connections with Canada’s protected heritage areas. 1.6 Parks Canada will develop and deliver educational programming in and around national parks promoting personal discovery of park ecosystems and improved understanding of ecological integrity challenges.
2. Federal SD Goal including GGO goals 2.1 Conserve and protect aquatic ecosystems (marine and freshwater) and biodiversity 2.2 Conserve and protect aquatic ecosystems(marine and freshwater) and biodiversity 2.3 Maintain and foster social well-being within communities 2.4 Promote a high level of environmental quality in communities 2.5 Encourage responsible use of natural resources so as to conserve and protect environmental quality 2.6 Encourage responsible use of natural resources so as to conserve and protect environmental quality	3. Performance Measure from Current SDS 3.1 Increase the number of represented terrestrial regions from 25 in March 2003 to 30 of 39 by March 2008; increase the number of represented marine regions from two in March 2003 to four of 29 by March 2008. 3.2 Develop fully functioning ecological integrity monitoring and reporting systems for all national parks by March 2008. 3.3 Designate on average, 24 new places, persons and events per year. 3.4 Develop indicators, expectations and protocols for measuring public appreciation and understanding of Canadians and stakeholders by March 2007. 3.5 85 % of visitors are satisfied and 50 % are very satisfied with their experience at national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. 3.6 Parks Canada will review and enhance indicators, measurement protocols and targets for all aspects of the planned results and performance expectations by march 2007.	4. Agency’s Expected results for 2007-08 4.1 Represent one terrestrial region and two marine regions. 4.2 Fully functioning ecological integrity monitoring and reporting system for all national parks. 4.3 Designate 24 new places, persons and events. 4.4 Indicators, expectations and protocols developed and ready for implementation. 4.5 Targets met for reporting period. 4.6 Indicators, expectations and protocols developed and ready for implementation.

TABLE 11: PARKS CANADA PLANNED AUDITS AND EVALUATIONS FOR 2007-2008 (to be confirmed in annual risk based planning)

	Projet	Type	Description
INTERNAL AUDIT	Delegation Framework	Assurance	The audit would look at whether established delegations (Human Resource, Financial, Contracting) are being used, whether use is consistent with delegation charts, and whether managers have the tools and training to use the delegated authority effectively.
	Financial and Administrative Management	Assurance	Parks Canada is organized into 32 field units, four service centres and national office consisting of 6 branches. Audits related to contracting, travel claims; accounts payable, revenue, inventory, and financial coding are done in a sample of these units each year with a view of covering all the units at least once over several years. Failure to comply with government and Agency policy can lead to theft, fraud, misuse or inefficient use of public funds along with the associated risks of loss of reputation and negative media coverage.
	Audits of Partnerships	Assurance	Audits of the partnership agreements will address whether the inherent risks in such agreements are adequately managed.
	Audit Framework for Information Management	Framework	Management of information is widely seen to be inadequate within government. Lack of adequate information management can lead to inefficient operations, duplication of effort, loss of crucial information, poor decision-making, loss of reputation, and negative media coverage. An audit would provide independent assurance that current strategies and practices are adequate for dealing with the problem. The proposed framework would document the current organizational efforts to address this problem and lay out the nature and timing of future audit work.
	Audit of financial system STAR	Assurance	Financial results presented by Parks rely on data from the financial system STAR (previously called SAP). The quality and reliability of the controls need to be assessed in order to provide reasonable assurance on the accuracy of the data. In the Auditor General Report on March 2004, weaknesses of electronic security controls as well as system monitoring controls were identified. Changes had to be made to these controls. Parks was not one of the departments audited in 2004; however, the quality of our controls needs to be assessed, especially because a new version of the system has been put in place.
	Land Management Framework	Framework	The Land Management Group is currently working to standardize a variety of contracts in order to ensure better control over the agreements entered into by Parks on behalf of the Crown. The first is to identify that various elements of the framework are in place, and to assess the risky areas where future audits should be performed.
	Attendance Data Quality	Assurance	Attendance data is used to communicate to stakeholders the extent of demand for heritage places, for calculations of economic impacts of parks, for operational management purposes, and to provide context for understanding conservation challenges. Inaccurate or poor data could lead to inappropriate management decisions and loss of public confidence and creditability.
EVALUATION	Evaluation of Internal Communications	Evaluation	Internal communications was identified as an issue in the 2003 Employee Survey, and in a review of the implementation of the Engaging Canadians Strategy carried out in Western Canada. This evaluation will focus on the progress in addressing the extent to which currently identified weakness are addressed.
	Evaluation of the Science Function	Evaluation	Science and science advice are key inputs to decision-making aimed at conserving ecological and commemorative integrity, engaging Canadians, and ensuring quality visitor experiences. Inadequate management of science and science advice could lead to inefficient operations, poor decision-making and negative media coverage, loss of reputation and ultimately loss of important heritage resources. The evaluation will look at the state of science and scientific advice in the Agency relative to federal science and technology guidelines and principles.
	Formative Evaluation of Environmental Integrity Funding Initiatives	Formative Evaluation	This project is proposed as part of the Performance and Evaluation Framework that is currently under development for the new environmental integrity funding. The formative evaluation is intended to provide assurance that funds are being spent as intended, that expected activities and outputs are being produced and reaching the intended audiences and that audiences are engaged and that the initiative is on track to produce measurable improvements in ecological integrity in national parks.
	Evaluation of Progress in Relationships with Aboriginal Peoples	Evaluation	Improving Parks Canada’s focus on and relationships with aboriginal peoples is among fundamental challenges outlined in the Agency’s Corporate Plan. The evaluation would document the relevance of the existing programming and outreach activities, results achieved and best practices.
	Evaluation of Interpretation Programming	Evaluation	Heritage Interpretation is the primary mechanism for communicating to on-site visitors the nature and significance of the particular heritage place and the role of that place in the national systems. If interpretative programming does not function as desired, the right messages will not be conveyed to intended audiences, resulting in a failure to engage visitors and lack of support for conservation mandate. A program-lead evaluation of interpretation was conducted in 1997, with a follow-up evaluation in 2003. The latter evaluation focused on processes and systems put in place to address issues identified in the first evaluation. The proposed evaluation would focus on the results achieved from interpretative programming.
BOTH	Audit and Evaluation Framework For Partnership and Collaborative Arrangements	Framework	Parks Canada is increasingly emphasizing partnering and collaborative arrangements as means of doing business. These kinds of arrangements involve a number of inherent risks as outlined by the Auditor General and Treasury Board Secretariat including risks of unintended legal liabilities, loss of reputation, failure to achieve results. The framework would identify the audit and evaluation expectations for the range of partnership/ collaborative arrangements found in Parks Canada, including examples of good practice. Development of the framework would precede conducting audits of specific partnership agreements later in the year.

 

Section IV: Other Items Of Interest

Program Activities 7 and 8: CORPORATE SERVICES

Planned Spending ($ thousands)

CORPORATE SERVICES	Forecast Spending	Planned Spending
	2006-2007*	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012
Capital	2,525	2,650	2,890	3,290	3,290	3,290
Salaries and Wages	31,635	22,600	22,454	22,454	22,454	22,454
Other Operating	20,863	16,032	15,864	15,864	15,864	15,864
Total	55,023	41,282	41,208	41,608	41,608	41,608

* Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year
Salaries and Wages include Employee Benefit Plans
These numbers are allocated to Program Activity 1 to 6
Due to rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown

Description

Corporate services includes budgeting and programming; financial investment and administrative management; real property and asset management; the development of legislation and policy; senior management and the management of human resources.

Planned Results and Performance Expectations

7 and 8 CORPORATE SERVICES
Planned Result	Performance Expectations
13. Demonstrate accountability and effective decision- making, and deliver timely, accessible and reliable management services.	29. Score average or above on 100% of indicators in Treasury Board Management Accountability Framework assessment.
14. A diverse and capable workforce, working in a positive and enabling environment which is reflective of the HR Values and Operating Principles.	30. Five year Independent Report on the Agency’s Human Resource Regime shows consistency between the Agency’s HR Values and Operating Principles and the HR Regime, and improvements in targeted areas. 31. A workforce that is representative of the Canadian population as measured by labour force availability by 2009.

Strategies to Achieve Planned Results

Planned Result 13: Demonstrate accountability and effective decision-making and deliver timely, accessible and reliable management services

Maximize Agency Performance

The Parks Canada Agency continually adapts its management practices to reflect legislative, regulatory and administrative challenges, and has committed itself to be more accountable, responsive, innovative and transparent. It will continue to focus on modernizing and refining management practices in specific areas: financial management, information technology, human resources and environmental stewardship. It will:

• Develop a long term financial strategy to ensure the financial sustainability of the Agency;
• Integrate asset management, personnel and financial systems;
• Use the business planning process as an accountability mechanism, as a vehicle to identify issues for the strategic priority agenda, and to make the Agency sustainable; and,
• Focus Agency priorities to achieve corporate plan results and performance expectations.

Asset Management

Supporting the delivery of Parks Canada’s programs are its unmatched holdings in real property built assets, ranging from modern digitally controlled buildings to dams and weirs constructed in 1832,
to highways and bridges cut through the Rocky Mountains. In the year 2000, the replacement cost
of the Parks Canada’s asset base was estimated at $7.1 billion.

Chronic under-funding had resulted in a significant deterioration of this asset base, the severity of which the government has recognized. In Budget 2005, the Government announced $209 million in new funding over five years, followed by an annual increase of $75 million. Combined with Parks Canada’s User Fee Strategy and existing budgets, Parks Canada will spend $580M on real property, over the next five years.

Immediate efforts will be focussed on building the capacity and developing the necessary asset management tools needed to resolve the urgent and pressing needs at Parks Canada’s natural and cultural heritage sites. With stable long-term funding in place, Parks Canada will work with partners and stakeholders to identify asset renewal opportunities.

Given the current state of deterioration and the increased spending, continued vigilance will be ensured through improvements to management frameworks and building asset management capacity necessary to manage, monitor and respond to emerging asset issues. Through the implementation of a new asset management system, Parks Canada will have access to improved asset information, which will facilitate the strategic management of assets.

Information Technology and Management

Reliable and credible information is essential for effective decision-making and management in a geographically dispersed organization like the Parks Canada Agency. Parks Canada will improve services, decisions and results through the integration and streamlining of common internal systems and processes. The Agency will build on the Government’s strategy of movement toward “whole-of-government shared services,” by participating in shared service arrangements. It will position itself to be at the forefront of technology that supports enhanced visitor experiences at our special heritage places, through the negotiation and management of exclusive supplier agreements.

The use of technology will be an important cornerstone of improved retention and access to the Agency’s information holdings. Decision-making and management will be improved. Integrated financial, personnel and asset management systems will provide access to the information managers need, when they need it.

Planned Result 14: A Diverse and capable workforce working in a positive and enabling environment

Human Resources

Parks Canada values its employees, who are enthusiastic, passionate and professional. It is committed to building a supportive and achievement-oriented workplace which provides them with learning, development and advancement opportunities, and which is also able to attract new and diverse talent.

In 2007-2008, the Agency will focus on building and strengthening a leadership culture that aligns its people management practices and healthy workplace goals with the vision of Parks Canada as relevant to and representative of Canadians.

Managers will receive the training, development and coaching they require to excel in engaging their staff, and in collaborating, partnering and sharing responsibility so critical to the integrated delivery of the Agency mandate.

With the support of its Human Resources professionals, the Agency will put in place succession strategies so that Parks Canada continues to be able to attract and retain top talent in an increasingly competitive job market. It will ensure that competent and passionate people are hired at the right time, and that all of our employees have the knowledge-sharing and learning opportunities they require to contribute effectively and achieve a high level of success.

The Agency will be putting in place a revised people management framework which will ensure that our change and improvement efforts in all areas of people management occur in a coherent and integrated fashion. New and existing feedback mechanisms will help us evaluate our progress.

An engagement index will be established by December 2008 to measure workplace improvements that support workforce diversity and capability.

 

Section V: annexes

Annex 1: Strategic Environmental Assessment (Summary)

A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) was completed for the Parks Canada Agency Corporate Plan 2007-08-2011-12, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. The purpose of a SEA is to incorporate environmental considerations into the development of public policies, plans, and program proposals to support decision-making that is environmentally sound.

Important positive environmental effects of this plan include: protection of ecosystems in unrepresented areas of Canada; continued and improved protection of the environment in protected heritage areas currently administered by the Agency, including protection of species at risk, ecological monitoring, active management, restoration, and reduction of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions; improved better protection of the greater ecosystems surrounding parks and sites through improved communication and engagement of local and aboriginal communities; and increased environmental stewardship though increased involvement and education of park visitors.

Strategic environmental assessment and project-level environmental assessment may be required for certain projects, plans, programs or policies that develop from this corporate plan. These environmental assessments will consider mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate residual negative environmental effects. Appropriate visitor use/activities will be determined through the use of the proposed Recreational Activities Framework and the use of the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism for Canada. Management planning will determine appropriate indicators, zoning, monitoring, etc. to reduce stressors on the park/site.

The Parks Canada Corporate Plan will not result in any significant net negative environmental effects.

Annex 2: New Parks and Historic Sites Account

The following criteria identify which potential new protected heritage areas, and unfinished national parks, national marine conservation areas and national historic sites are eligible for funding from the New Parks and Historic Sites Account.

1. All national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas designated or established after 1988 that have not reached a level where they provide basic resource protection, visitor service and heritage presentation as specified in their initial management plan, or have not completed all the development initiatives set out in their respective establishment agreements, including requirements to accomplish these things over the relevant planning period.
2. All national historic sites not administered by Parks Canada, which are approved by the Minister for cost-sharing contributions.

National Parks	National Historic Sites	National Marine Conservation Areas
Incomplete: Sirmilik Tuktut Nogait Wapusk Ukkusiksalik Gulf Islands Torngat Mountains	HMCS Haida	Incomplete: Saguenay – St. Lawrence
Proposed: Manitoba Lowlands Bathurst Island Mealy Mountains East Arm of Great Slave Lake South Okanagan – Lower Similkameen Additional sites to be identified later to complete the system
Expansions to: Waterton Lakes Nahanni Tuktut Nogait		Proposed: Lake Superior Gwaii Haanas Southern Strait of Georgia Îles-de-la-Madeleine Additional sites to be identified later to complete the system

In addition to the above, the following factors also determine the types of expenditures that may be made from the account:

1. All capital expenditures exceeding $10,000 related to the acquisition of lands and extinguishment of resource and development rights.
2. All capital development expenditures exceeding $10,000, including planning, design and construction of specific facilities and infrastructure; cultural and ecological resource stabilization and restoration; development of heritage presentation media; and initial fleet and equipment acquisitions.

Annex 3: Glossary

Annual Performance Report – The report on operations for the most recently completed fiscal year that a Minister is required, normally by a department’s or agency’s enabling statute, to table before Parliament at a designated time. There are specific Treasury Board guidelines regarding the structure, content and focus of the Departmental Performance Report, how the work is done, and results achieved during the past fiscal year are to be presented.

Capital Asset – A capital asset is any improvement that is placed upon the land. For the Parks Canada Agency these are divided into contemporary assets and cultural assets. These two groups of assets are managed differently. Land is not a capital asset.

Commemoration – Commemoration is a ministerial recognition of the national significance of specific lands or waters by acquisition or agreement, or by another means deemed appropriate within the Minister’s authority for purposes of protecting and presenting heritage places and resources, erection of a plaque or monument.

Commemorative Integrity – Commemorative integrity describes the health and wholeness of a national historic site. A national historic site possesses commemorative integrity when: the resources directly related to the reasons for designation as a national historic site are not impaired or under threat; the reasons for designation as a national historic site are effectively communicated to the public; and, the site’s heritage values (including those not related to designation as a national historic site) are respected in all decisions and actions affecting the site.

Contemporary Assets – Contemporary assets include campgrounds, heritage presentation assets, visitor reception centres, roads and highways, bridges, contemporary canal locks and dams,
water and waste water facilities, all of which are used by visitors and the resident public. In addition, Parks Canada has holdings of administration facilities, staff houses, works compounds, as well as a fleet of vehicles and heavy equipment. Parks Canada applies a comprehensive condition-rating program to the management of its assets based on risk to asset, health and safety, level of service and overall asset condition.

Corporate Plan – The Corporate Plan is the 5 year plan developed to achieve Agency objectives. It is a single document that outlines the Agency’s overall corporate direction for the fiscal year. It applies Agency-wide and assigns responsibilities, authorities and accountabilities at the corporate level.

Cultural Assets – Cultural assets are core to Parks Canada’s mandate, and the Agency is responsible
for their preservation and protection for future generations. Cultural assets are defined as being Level I and Level II, and are located in Parks Canada installations. Cultural assets include built assets (buildings, bridges, fortifications, marine works, grounds, monuments and plaques), collections,
and in-situ archaeological resources.

Ecological Integrity – Ecological Integrity means, with respect to a park, a condition that is determined to be characteristic of its natural region and likely to persist, including abiotic components and the composition and abundance of native species and biological communities, rates of change and supporting processes.

Ecosystem – An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals and the processes, like the flow of energy through food chains that link them to each other and to the physical environment. Ecosystems continually change over time and can adjust to natural disturbances and continue to function.

Education – A key element of the Parks Canada mandate, the focus of education is to inspire long-term support, involvement and stewardship in heritage protection and presentation by moving audiences along the engagement continuum – from awareness, to understanding, to appreciation, to support and involvement. Education activities are designed to reach Canadians at home, at leisure,
at school and in their communities and includes outreach, interpretation as well as formal and informal learning.

Heritage Presentation Assets – Heritage presentation assets are the physical products,
tools or venues that assist in delivering education (outreach and interpretation) information about the significance of Parks Canada and the natural and cultural heritage of the country. These include exhibits, interpretive signage, audiovisual productions and equipment.

Minister’s Round Table – Once every 2 years, the Minister convenes a round table of persons interested in matters for which the Agency is responsible in order to seek their views on the Agency’s performance in meeting its responsibilities under section 6 of the Parks Canada Agency Act.

National Historic Site (of Canada) – A national historic site has both a formal and an applied meaning. The formal meaning refers to “historic place” as defined in the Historic Sites and Monuments Act or a place set aside as a national historic site under Section 42 of the Canada National Parks Act. The name is commonly used to refer to the place administered by Parks Canada, or another owner,
as a national historic site.

Park Proclamation – Since royal assent to the Canada National Parks Act February 19, 2001, the Agency proclaims a new park through an Order in Council process. This is accomplished through publication in the Canada Gazette Part II where, by Order, the Agency can amend Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 of the Canada National Parks Act to add to or amend the land description of national parks or national park reserves.

Protected Heritage Area – Protected Heritage
Areas are:

1. areas that have been accorded protected status, because of their natural or cultural qualities, through acquisition or application of land-use controls;
2. as well as areas that have been recognized as having natural or cultural heritage value and which require some form of protected status in order to ensure their long-term protection

Report on Plans and Priorities – The Report on Plans and Priorities, a part of the Main Estimates, is the report that provides information on Agency plans and expected performance over a three-year period. This report is tabled in Parliament each spring, after resource allocation deliberations. It generally includes information such as mission and mandate, objectives and strategies, as well as specific results commitments and performance targets.

Visitor Experience – The visitor experience concept became a focus within Parks Canada in 2005 and is a key element of the mandate. It is the cumulative outcome of the individual’s visit and his or her interactions with Parks Canada and its partners. The Agency sets the stage for visitors to enjoy meaningful, safe, high-quality experiences through the provision of information, infrastructure, facilities, programs, services and personnel. The goal of Parks Canada’s enhanced focus on facilitating meaningful visitor experiences is to ensure that protected heritage places continue to be viewed as personally relevant and important to Canadians.

Annex 4: Legislation

The following are Acts that pertain to the Parks Canada Agency:

National Battlefields of Quebec Act 1908, c. 57
Laurier House Act 1952, c. 163
Canada Wildlife Act 1985, c. W-9
Department of the Environment Act R.S 1985, c. E-10
Department of Transport Act (Historic canals) R.S 1985, c. T-18
Dominion Water Power Act R.S 1985, c. W-4
Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act R.S 1985, c. 52 (4th Supp.)
Historic Sites and Monuments Act R.S 1985, c. H-4
Migratory Birds Convention Act 1994, c. 22
Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Act 1997, c. 37
Parks Canada Agency Act 1998, c. 31
Canada National Parks Act 2000, c. 32
Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act 2002, c. 18
Species at Risk Act 2002, c. 29
User Fee Act 2004, c. 6

The following are regulations that pertain to the Parks Canada Agency:

National Parks Wilderness Area Declaration Regulations
National Parks Aircraft Access Regulations
National Parks Building Regulations
National Parks Businesses Regulations
National Parks Camping Regulations
National Parks Cemetery Regulations
National Parks Cottages Regulations
National Parks Domestic Animals Regulations
National Parks Fire Protection Regulations
National Parks Fishing Regulations
National Parks Garbage Regulations
National Parks General Regulations
National Parks Highway Traffic Regulations
National Parks Lease and Licence of Occupation Regulations
National Parks Signs Regulations
National Parks Town, Visitor Centre and Resort Subdivision Designation Regulations
National Parks Water and Sewer Regulations
National Parks Wildlife Regulations
Town of Jasper Zoning Regulations
Wood Buffalo National Park Game Regulations
National Historic Parks General Regulations
National Historic Parks Order
National Historic Parks Wildlife and Domestic Animals Regulations
Historic Canals Regulations, under the Department of Transport Act
Heritage Railway Stations Regulations, under the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act
Dominion Water Power Regulations, under the Dominion Water Power Act