Canadian Heritage Rivers System
The Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS; French: Le réseau de rivières du patrimoine canadien) is a joint program administered by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada's river heritage, to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them.[1] It is a cooperative program of the governments of Canada, nine provinces, and the three territories. A 14-member national board, created under the Parks Canada Agency Act, administers the program and approves the designation of specific rivers.[2]
History[edit]
The Canadian Heritage Rivers System was established in 1984.[3] The first Canadian Heritage River was the French River in Ontario, designated in 1986.[4]
By 1996 there were 29 designated rivers.[2]
Quebec withdrew its participation in 2006.[5] There are currently 39 designated and three nominated rivers; with rivers designated in every province and territory except for Quebec.[6]
Designated rivers[edit]
The rivers currently designated as a Canadian Heritage River are:
| River | Province/Territory | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Alsek River | Yukon | 1986 |
| Arctic Red River | Northwest Territories | 1993 |
| Athabasca River (Jasper National Park) | Alberta | 1989 |
| Bay du Nord River | Newfoundland | 2006 |
| Bloodvein River | Manitoba/Ontario | 1987/1998 |
| Bonnet Plume River | Yukon | 1998 |
| Boundary Waters | Ontario | 1996 |
| Clearwater River | Saskatchewan/Alberta | 1987/2004 |
| Cowichan River | British Columbia | 2003 |
| Detroit River | Ontario/Michigan | 2001 |
| Fraser River | British Columbia | 1998 |
| French River | Ontario | 1986 |
| Grand River | Ontario | 1994 |
| Hayes River | Manitoba | 2006 |
| Hillsborough River | Prince Edward Island | 1997 |
| Humber River | Ontario | 1999 |
| Kazan River | Nunavut | 1990 |
| Kicking Horse River (Yoho National Park) | British Columbia | 1989 |
| Main River | Newfoundland | 2001 |
| Margaree River | Nova Scotia | 1998 |
| Mattawa River | Ontario | 1988 |
| Missinaibi River | Ontario | 2004 |
| North Saskatchewan River (Banff National Park) | Alberta | 1989 |
| Ottawa River | Ontario | 2016 |
| Red River | Manitoba | 2007 |
| Rideau Waterway | Ontario | 2000 |
| Saint John River | New Brunswick | 2013 |
| Seal River | Manitoba | 1992 |
| Shelburne River | Nova Scotia | 1997 |
| Soper River | Nunavut | 1992 |
| South Nahanni River | Northwest Territories | 1987 |
| St. Croix River | New Brunswick | 1991 |
| St. Marys River | Ontario | 2000 |
| Tatshenshini River | Yukon | 2004 |
| Thames River | Ontario | 2000 |
| Thelon River | Nunavut | 1990 |
| The Three Rivers | Prince Edward Island | 2004 |
| Upper Restigouche River | New Brunswick | 1998 |
| Yukon River (The Thirty Mile Section) | Yukon | 1991 |
Nominated rivers[edit]
| River | Province/Territory | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Coppermine River | Nunavut | |
| North Saskatchewan River (Alberta) | Alberta | 2022[7] |
Quebec participation[edit]
Quebec is the only province or territory to not have a designated or nominated river. The province withdrew its participation in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System in 2006.
Quebec's lack of participation affects nominations and designations for rivers shared with other provinces. In 1998, the New Brunswick portion of the Restigouche River was designated (as "Upper Restigouche"), while the Quebec portion was not. The Ottawa River was nominated in 2007 and designated in 2016, but only the Ontario portion of the river was included. The federal government says it's working with Quebec "to establish recognition of the heritage value of Quebec's stretch of the Outaouais River".[8]
See also[edit]
- American Heritage Rivers, America's counterpart to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System
References[edit]
- ^ John S. Marsh; Bruce W. Hodgins (15 May 1998). Changing Parks: The History, Future and Cultural Context of Parks and Heritage Landscapes. Dundurn. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-55488-130-7.
- ^ a b Jeffrey A. McNeely (1 November 1995). Expanding Partnerships in Conservation. Island Press. p. 239. ISBN 978-1-59726-907-0.
- ^ Max Finkelstein (21 March 2005). Canoeing a Continent: On the Trail of Alexander Mackenzie. Dundurn. p. 275. ISBN 978-1-77070-634-7.
- ^ Protected Areas of the World: Nearctic and neotropical. IUCN. 1992. p. 36. ISBN 978-2-8317-0093-9.
- ^ "Canadian Heritage Rivers System". The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ About the Canadian Heritage Rivers System Archived 2013-01-20 at the Wayback Machine on The Canadian Heritage Rivers System
- ^ "Governments of Canada and Alberta officially accept nomination of the Alberta section of the North Saskatchewan River as a Canadian Heritage River". Government of Canada News. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
- ^ Ottawa River Designated a Canadian Heritage River Archived 2016-09-15 at the Wayback Machine, Parks Canada news release, July 28, 2016
