A public survey is open as Gatineau Park's conservation plan gets update 

Tashi Farmilo

The National Capital Commission is revisiting how it manages and protects Gatineau Park's natural environment and is inviting the public to participate before the revised plan is finalized.

The park spans 36,131 hectares across the municipalities of Gatineau, Chelsea, La Pêche, and Pontiac, supporting a wide range of ecosystems and providing critical habitat for nearly 150 species at risk, among them the monarch butterfly, the North American river otter, and the blunt-lobed woodsia, a rare fern with only a handful of known populations in Canada. Since 2010, the NCC has managed those ecosystems according to a conservation plan outlining 82 specific measures, covering issues such as erosion caused by unofficial trails, climbing activity on the Eardley Escarpment, fish habitat protection, and the spread of invasive species.

That plan is now 15 years old. The park now receives over 2.6 million visits per year, making it the second-most-visited park in Canada. The pressures on the National Capital Commission that come with that level of use have continued to intensify. The review is meant to take stock of what has been accomplished, incorporate updated scientific knowledge, and set new conservation priorities. The revised plan will also be brought into alignment with the Gatineau Park Management Plan, which was itself updated in 2021.

The process has included workshops with conservation partners held in March 2026. Consultations with Indigenous communities are also planned, though no specific date has been announced. The area has deep Indigenous history, with the park's territory having been occupied by Indigenous groups for more than 6,000 years.

The NCC is seeking broader public input through an online survey open until April 13 at 9:00 am. The survey is available at https://ncc-cnn.questionpro.ca/a/TakeSurvey?tt=4UgZZ7QxhmAZ10FQJ/78dw%3D%3D. 

The National Capital Commission is reviewing its 15-year-old Gatineau Park Ecosystem Conservation Plan and is accepting public input through an online survey until April 13, 2026. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmilo