Program directory · Parks Canada
Protected Areas Establishment
- Department
- Parks Canada
- Program code
- BGW11 (PCA)
- Core responsibility
- Protecting and Presenting Canada's Natural and Cultural Heritage
- In Departmental Plans
- 2026-27 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Protected Areas Establishment Program establishes National Parks, National Marine Conservation Areas, designates National Urban Parks to conserve Canada’s natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations and identifies and supports ecological corridors that contribute to the effective management and climate resiliency of protected areas.
As natural spaces come under formal protection in perpetuity the ecosystem services arising from them (biodiversity, clean air, water, erosion protection, resilience to climate change, pollination, carbon storage), can be effectively managed for long-term ecosystem and societal benefits.
The program contributes directly to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, healthy communities, socio-economic outcomes, and the inherent value of nature to Canadian culture and identity. The program is focused on collaboration and fosters respectful relationships and negotiations. Projects and initiatives are identified and co-developed with Indigenous partners and will lead to protected areas with shared governance regimes aligned with the principles of the Indigenous Stewardship Policy. Projects are conducted in co-operation with other key partners such as provinces, territories, and local governments.
The program undertakes feasibility assessments, negotiations, consultations, research and policy development, and engagement with Indigenous Peoples and governments, other jurisdictions, stakeholders and the public.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in the Departmental Plans in 2026-27. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected Areas Establishment | This program | 2026-27 – 2028-29 | — |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
No significant changes detected.
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
No results reported yet.
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
No indicators in the 2026-27 plan.
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | TBD (DP 2027-28) | 2028 | — | Planned |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 31% | 2030 | — | Planned |
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 82% | 2030 | — | Planned |
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | $13.9M | — |
| 2027-28 | $10.2M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $10.2M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 111 | — |
| 2027-28 | 115* | — |
| 2028-29 | 118* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 plan | $13,860,737 | $10,220,248 | $10,199,021 |
| Actual |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
