While many protected areas in Canada focus primarily on the conservation of biological diversity and the inclusion of Indigenous and local communities, parks differ as sites where people are invited to connect with nature through outdoor recreation. In fact, many specialized park facilities may have as much in common with municipal parks and recreation programs as they do with protected areas. 

We encourage leaders and scholars to connect with the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) and benefit from their resources, including their online portal, The Bench. Organizations such as the Outdoor Council of Canada support third-party operators offering outdoor recreation programs and service while Outdoor Play Canada and the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada focus on the importance of children spending unstructured time outside.

The value of inclusive outdoor recreation is further articulated in the Canadian Parks Council (CPC) work: Connecting Canadians to Nature and the Nature Playbook, as well as Parks for All: An Action Planner for Canada’s Parks Community co-developed by the CPC with CPRA. 

The following key resources have been curated to highlight important ideas related to this resource page topic.