Icy Initiative offers a new way for visitors to help monitor Canada's glaciers in national and provincial parks Français
OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 7, 2025 /CNW/ - When you take a photo of yourself, that's a selfie. When you take a cool photo of a glacier, that's an Icy!
Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and minister responsible for Official Languages, in partnership with Parks Canada, British Columbia Parks, and the BC Parks Foundation, and the University of Waterloo, are proud and excited to launch the Icy Initiative, a new community science program in two national parks and three provincial parks. Visitors will help scientists monitor glacier change over time simply by taking and submitting photos, making every participant a contributor to vital environmental research, while capturing some stunning shots and making unforgettable memories along the way!
Cell phone stands have been installed at select glacier viewpoints, with more to come. Visitors simply place their phone in the provided holder, capture a photo of the glacier, and submit it via the QR code on-site or through the GeoReach website at www.georeach.ca. Clear instructions at each location will guide participants through the process.
Submitted photos will be analyzed by researchers at the University of Waterloo to track glacial changes such as retreat, thinning, and disappearance—offering valuable insight into the impacts of climate change.
The Icy Initiative launches in Jasper and Glacier national parks, as well as Bugaboo, Garibaldi, and Mount Robson provincial parks. Each site will feature one to three Icy stands, creating unique opportunities for visitors to engage with glacier science.
This initiative builds on the success of the Coastie program, launched in 2021, where visitor-submitted photos help monitor coastal changes in Atlantic Canada.
Quotes
"In this UN International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, our government and Parks Canada are proud to invite Canadians to connect with the beauty and power of the iconic glaciers we are so fortunate to have in Canada. Through the Icy Initiative, visitors become part of the story — helping us understand and protect these precious natural wonders in the face of climate change. Our government has committed to protecting more nature than ever before, and it is by acting collectively that we can achieve our conservation goals and protect what makes us strong. I encourage everyone to take part to this initiative and submit their best shot of a glacier when visiting one of the participating parks!"
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
"Glaciers are remarkable features of B.C.'s provincial parks that draw-in visitors near and far. The Icy Initiative is community research in action. When the public engages with science, it deepens our understanding of these rapidly changing landscapes – which has never been more important."
Minister Tamara Davidson,
Ministry of Environment and Parks, BC Parks
"Community science is at the heart of what we do, and it's incredible to see people of all ages contributing to our collective understanding of BC's wild places. Glaciers are vital to our ecosystems and fresh water supply, and by capturing change over time, we can help find ways to protect them for the future. Thank you to every visitor who takes an Icy and becomes part of this incredible effort."
Andy Day
Chief Executive Officer, BC Parks Foundation
"The unique partnership between Parks Canada, BC Parks, and the University of Waterloo will support a need for glacier data collection and analysis, to better inform park managers on glacier change. The program provides exceptional educational opportunities for people from around the world to discover Canada's glacial landscapes, the changes taking place, and how this may relate to their own communities."
Dr. Chris Houser
Dean, Faculty of Science; Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Waterloo
Quick Facts
- Canada is home to a significant percentage of the world's glaciers, with vast ice fields in both Western and Northern Canada.
- Glaciers worldwide are melting — and in Western Canada, they're retreating faster than ever. Northern Canada is home to some of the largest ice caps outside of the polar regions, which are critical to understanding long-term climate patterns.
- Glaciers are a crucial source of fresh water in Western Canada, releasing water into ecosystems during dry summer months. As they retreat and shrink, the reduction of water runoff will impact water tables, agricultural practices, and even drinking water availability downstream.
- GeoReach Education Platform is a Canadian-based program that empowers community scientists to contribute valuable data. This data helps develop educational materials accessible to learners worldwide, encouraging deeper engagement with Canadian landforms and climate change research.
- Glacier National Park, in southeastern British Columbia, is home to the towering Selkirk and Purcell Mountains. Research here focuses on glacier recession, with scientists using repeat photography and mass balance measurements to monitor glacial health.
- Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. Known for its wildlife, glaciers, and breathtaking peaks, it's also a hub for important climate change research. Recent data from the Athabasca Glacier shows consistent melt each year, but more ice melt in 2023 than in the past decade.
- Every photo submitted through the Icy Initiative helps build a clearer picture of how glaciers are changing — and how we can protect them.
- Learn more about the Icy initiative: https://parks.apca2.gc.ca/nature/science/impliquez-involved/icy
Related Links
SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)
Contacts: Andy Day, BC Parks Foundation, [email protected], 604-343-3975, ext. 130; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 855-862-1812, [email protected]
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