Parks Canada cuts just don’t add up

Trail through a forest of tall trees, with a sign reading “Detour Ahead.” — Photo by knelson20

CPAWS Statement | Economy | Government and Policy

November 4, 2026

A statement from CPAWS on Parks Canada’s budget reductions

Parks Canada has announced a $145 million per year budget cut, including a plan to eliminate up to 500 staff. CPAWS is deeply concerned that these cuts could compromise Parks Canada’s long-term ability to maintain and manage Canada’s national parks system -a pattern we’ve already seen.

In recent years, cuts to the US Parks Service have “…threatened ecosystems and increased hazards for visitors”. Reduced staffing, combined with over-visitation, have created strains on the system to the point of breaking. CPAWS cautions the Federal Government to ensure similar outcomes are avoided in Canada.

National parks and marine conservation areas are a smart investment

In the 2025/26 fiscal year, Parks Canada contributed $5.9 billion to Canada’s GDP from a budget of just over $1.3 billion, close to a five-time return on investment. In the same year, it directly employed about 4,700 people and indirectly supported nearly 60,000 full-time jobs in diverse industries, most of them in the remote and rural communities near national parks.

Misplaced priorities

Canada argues that we cannot afford to maintain our investments in the nature economy, even while we spend generously on nature harmful activities. For example, the Pacific Link Pipeline and the associated Roberts Bank Terminal upgrades are estimated to cost taxpayers in excess of $100 billion dollars, yet they exacerbate climate risks and threaten the survival of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population. The federal government says nature and the environment are important, but with each announcement it is becoming clearer that the loss of Canada’s natural value is a price it is willing to pay.

As Canada works to diversify the economy and build long-term, resilient jobs, now is the ideal time to invest in the parks system. Doing so would ensure that nature and local economies thrive together, and that visitors enjoy a world-class experience. Instead, the government is choosing to gut Parks Canada’s ability to service and maintain these places, and to let a proven investment deteriorate.

When the 2026/27 Federal Budget is released later this week, CPAWS calls on the federal government to match its words with action. Invest in Parks Canada, maintain the people and capacity needed to protect and manage these places, and keep Canada moving forward on expanding our system of national parks and national marine conservation areas. A government that says nature matters should invest like it does.