Rouge National Urban Park Celebrates 10 Years

Milestone anniversary for Canada's first national urban park

MARKHAM, ON, July 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Rouge National Urban Park, Canada's first national urban park and one of the largest protected urban parks in the world, offers easy access to residents of Canada's largest urban centre to explore a rich assembly of forests, creeks, farms and trails as well as marshland, a beach on Lake Ontario and human history spanning 10,000 years.

Today, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety and Member of Parliament for Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, celebrated this important milestone at an event honouring Indigenous partners, volunteers, farmers, advocates, and local stakeholders who have helped shape the vision of the park. The ceremony highlighted key achievements from the past decade, including major land assembly and legislation, the completion of the park's first management plan, the development of a multi-species action plan, the completion of 137 restoration projects with partners and collaborators, the addition of 23 km of new trails and a $21 million investment in the future visitor, learning and community centre.

Since its establishment in 2015, Rouge National Urban Park has become a globally recognized model for conservation in an urban setting. Spanning over 79 square kilometres, an area 1.3 times larger than the city of Manhattan, the park protects a remarkable diversity of natural, cultural, and agricultural landscapes and continues to evolve through Indigenous leadership, community stewardship, restoration efforts, and collaboration across all levels of government.

Parks Canada will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Rouge National Urban Park throughout 2025. Weekly features on the park's Facebook page will highlight key moments of its history, while on-site anniversary programming will offer visitors opportunities to reflect on the park's past, share their own stories, and contribute to a collective vision for the future of Canada's first national urban park.

Quotes

"Rouge National Urban Park demonstrates how strong conservation efforts and partnerships can restore ecosystems, strengthen climate resilience, and reconnect people with nature - and with each other -within their own communities. Its creation was made possible through decades of dedicated advocacy by community organizers and support from all levels of government. Today, this commitment to unity and collaboration continues to guide our government's approach to protecting what shapes our identity and makes us proud from coast to coast to coast.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, 
Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages

"Rouge National Urban Park is both a cherished haven for residents and an emerging destination for visitors from across Canada and around the world. As the first of many national urban parks to come, the Rouge is setting the stage for a new era of urban tourism where conservation, recreation, and sustainability go hand in hand. With new trails, stronger community links, and a landmark visitor centre on the way, this park is not only protecting what we love about Canada, but also inviting more people than ever to discover it."

The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, 
Minister of Public Safety and Member of Parliament for Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park

Quick Facts

• Rouge National Urban Park spans over 79 square kilometres in the GTA and is one of the largest urban parks in North America.
• The park is home to over 2,000 species of plants and animals, working farms, Indigenous heritage sites and some of the region's most important watersheds and wetlands.
• The park lies at the northern edge of the Carolinian Life Zone, a type of forest ecosystem that supports a rich diversity of life.
• Since 2015, more than 300,000 native trees, perennials, shrubs, and aquatic plants have been planted throughout Rouge National Urban Park.
• To date, Parks Canada and partners have completed 137 ecological restoration and farmland best management practices projects throughout Rouge National Urban Park.

Related Links

• Rouge National Urban Park Milestones
• Rouge National Urban Park Turns 10
• Government of Canada announces intent to significantly expand Rouge National Urban Park
• Parks Canada mobile application
• Parks Canada website

SOURCE Parks Canada (HQ)

Contacts: Hermine Landry, Press Secretary, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, 873-455-3714, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada Agency, 855-862-1812, [email protected]; Sarah Simpson, Public Relations and Communications Officer, Rouge National Urban Park, 289-776-8489, [email protected]