Gatineau Park Act

Bill S-229, the Gatineau Park Act, amends the National Capital Act to give Gatineau Park a firmer legal foundation. For the first time, the park's exact boundaries would be written into law (in a detailed schedule), rather than being managed informally by the National Capital Commission (NCC). Once set, the park's size generally cannot be reduced by the government except in narrow, court-ordered circumstances, though it can be enlarged by order of the Governor in Council if the Crown holds clear title to the added land.

The bill directs the NCC to treat "ecological integrity" — protecting natural resources, species, and ecological processes — as its top priority when managing the park. It requires the NCC to create a long-term Master Plan for the park within ten years, review it every decade, and table it in Parliament. It also strengthens consultation obligations: the NCC must give the public, the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation, and neighbouring municipalities real input into park regulations and planning, and must publicly report on how it consulted Indigenous governing bodies and local municipalities.

On land use, the bill generally bans selling or granting rights over public land inside the park, with exceptions for transfers to Algonquin Anishinabeg organizations for health, social, or cultural services, or to government bodies for public infrastructure like utilities or transit corridors; such land reverts to the NCC if it stops being used for that purpose. Unauthorized use or occupation of park public land is prohibited without NCC permission. The bill also lets the government designate enforcement officers (with police-like powers) and contravention officers to enforce park rules, and allows new regulations to control activities in the park, set user fees (capped at actual cost), and manage ecological integrity, with penalties for violations. Finally, the NCC is encouraged to hire Algonquin Anishinabeg businesses and workers for park maintenance and conservation work. The remainder of the bill makes minor consequential terminology updates to other federal laws to reflect the renumbering of schedules in the National Capital Act.

This bill amends the National Capital Act to legally define the boundaries of Gatineau Park, restrict the sale of public land within it, and create new regulatory, enforcement and planning powers for the National Capital Commission (NCC).

• Boundary control — the Governor in Council (Cabinet) may enlarge the park's boundaries by order if satisfied the Crown holds title to the added land, but may not shrink the park except to remove land a court has ruled the Crown never held title to; no other reduction is permitted.
• Land disposal restrictions — public land inside the park cannot be sold or have interests granted in it, except to an Algonquin Anishinabeg organization for health, social or cultural services, or to a federal/provincial/municipal authority for public infrastructure; disposed land reverts to the NCC if it stops being used for that purpose.
• Enforcement officers — the Minister may designate federal, provincial, municipal or Algonquin Anishinabeg employees as enforcement officers, who then hold the same powers and legal protections as peace officers under the Criminal Code for enforcing the Act and its regulations in the park.
• Regulation-making and fees — the Governor in Council may make regulations restricting or prohibiting activities in the park, setting fees, rates, rents and permit conditions, and managing ecological integrity; fees are capped at the Commission's cost of providing the service, and contravention penalties are capped by reference to summary conviction limits in the Criminal Code.
• Planning and consultation obligations — the NCC must prepare a Gatineau Park Master Plan within 10 years, review it at least every 10 years, table it and any amendments in Parliament, and must be able to show in a published report that it consulted neighbouring municipalities and Algonquin Anishinabeg governing bodies before finalizing regulations or plans.
• Oversight — the main ongoing checks are tabling of the Master Plan and its amendments in Parliament (not subject to a vote) and the NCC's public consultation report; there is no sunset clause on any of these powers.