Ontario Parks
| Parcs Ontario | |
Ontario Parks Logo
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1954 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Ontario |
| Headquarters | 300 Water Street, Peterborough, Ontario |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | www |
Ontario Parks is the branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry that administers the provincial parks in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario Parks system covers over 78,000 square kilometres (30,460 sq mi), about 10 percent of the province's surface area or the equivalent of an area approximately equal to Nova Scotia. The Ontario Parks system is often used as the model for other parks systems in North America. This can be attributed to its delicate balance of recreation, preservation, and conservation. Many parks in Ontario also offer a Natural Heritage Education program.
Ontario Parks' mandate is to protect significant natural and cultural resources in a system of parks and protected areas that is sustainable and provides opportunities for inspiration, enjoyment and education: now and for future generations.
The Ontario Parks system began its long and rough history in 1893 with the creation of Algonquin Park, originally designed to protect loggers' interests from settlement. The management and creation of provincial parks came under the Department of Lands and Forests in 1954 and led to a period of accelerated park creation: a ninefold increase in the number of parks over the next six years. In the 1970s the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' (MNR) was formed. Currently, Ontario Parks does not have full agency status, but is a branch of the Natural Resource Management Division of the MNR.
The history of Ontario's provincial parks stretches for over 100 years. Here are some of the milestones from the past century plus:
1893 – Algonquin Park is created as a public park and forest reservation, fish and game preserve, health resort and pleasure ground.
1894 – Rondeau becomes Ontario's second provincial park.
1913 – The Parks Act sets aside land not suitable for agriculture or settlement.
1954 – Ontario still has only 8 provincial parks: Algonquin, Quetico, Long Point, Rondeau, Presqu'le, Ipperwash, Lake Superior and Sibley (now known as Sleeping Giant).
A Division of Parks is created within the Department of Lands and Forests. This heralds a new and aggressive program to create more parks, primarily on the Great Lake and northern tourism highways.
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Wikipedia