Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada Management Plan 2014 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN The Parks Canada Charter OUR MANDATE On behalf of the people of Canada, we protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity of these places for present and future generations. OUR ROLE We are guardians of the national parks, the national historic sites and the national marine conservation areas of Canada. We are guides to visitors the world over, opening doors to places of discovery and learning, reflection and recreation. We are partners, building on the rich traditions of our Aboriginal people, the strength of our diverse cultures and our commitments to the international community. We are storytellers, recounting the history of our land and our people - the stories of Canada. OUR COMMITMENTS To protect, as a first priority, the natural and cultural heritage of our special places and ensure that they remain healthy and whole. To present the beauty and significance of our natural world and to chronicle the human determination and ingenuity which have shaped our nation. To celebrate the legacy of visionary Canadians whose passion and knowledge have inspired the character and values of our country. To serve Canadians, working together to achieve excellence guided by values of competence, respect and fairness. 2 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada Mingan field Unit 1340, de la Digue Street Havre-Saint-Pierre (Québec) G0G 1P0 Canada Telephone: 418 583-3331 Toll Free: 1 888 773-8888 Teletypewriter (TTY): 1 866 787-6221 Fax: 418 538-3595 Email: [email protected] www.pc.gc.ca/mingan Cataloguing in Publication by Library and Archives Canada Parks Canada Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada: Management Plan Also available in French under the title: Réserve de parc national de l’Archipel-de-Mingan: Plan directeur Includes bibliography ISBN: 978-1-100-98475-9 Catalogue No. : R61-73/2012F Printed on 50% recycled paper Copyright Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada, 2014. Front Cover Images Clockwise from top left: Flat-Petaled Yellow Lady’s-Slipper, Nutashkuan and Parks Canada representatives, Petite île au Marteau lighthouse station, Visit of île Quarry ©Parks Canada 3 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Foreword Canada’s national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas are part of a century-strong Parks Canada network which provides Canadians and visitors from around the world with unique opportunities to experience and embrace our wonderful country. From our smallest national park to our most visited national historic site to our largest national marine conservation area, each of Canada’s treasured places offers many opportunities to enjoy Canada’s historic and natural heritage. These places serve as sources of inspiration, relaxation, learning and discovery. As we plan for the years to come, we can encourage lasting connections to our heritage and promote our protected places to be enjoyed in ways that leave them unimpaired for present and future generations. Our Government’s vision is to build a culture of heritage conservation in Canada by protecting these irreplaceable places and offering Canadians exceptional opportunities to build personal connections with our natural and cultural heritage. These values form the foundation of the new management plan for the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada. I offer my appreciation to the many thoughtful Canadians who helped to develop this plan, particularly to our dedicated team from Parks Canada, and to all those local organizations and individuals who have demonstrated their good will, hard work, spirit of co-operation and extraordinary sense of stewardship. ln this same spirit of partnership and responsibility, I am pleased to approve the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada Management Plan. Leona Aglukkaq Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada 4 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDED BY: Alan Latourelle Chief Executive Officer Parks Canada Robin Lessard Superintendant Mingan Field Unit Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve Parks Canada 5 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Acknowledgements We wish to thank the many individuals who participated in the development of the Management Plan Contribution of the members of the Planning Committee of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve Robin Lessard, Director, Mingan Field Unit Stéphanie Cloutier, Manager of External Relations, Mingan Field Unit Marlène Arsenault, Manager of Visitor Experience, Mingan Field Unit Julie Valcourt, Manager of Ecosystem Conservation, Mingan Field Unit Michèle Boucher, Liaison Officer, Mingan Field Unit Charlotte Cormier, Coordinator of Public Consultation, Mingan Field Unit Denis Dufour, Manager of planning operations Yves Picard, Public Engagement Manager, Consultation and treaty negotiations Contribution of senior officers of Parks Canada Michel Carrier, Acting Manager, Ecosystem Conservation Daniel Gosselin, Senior Analyst, Social Science Lise Cyr, Project Manager, External Relations and Visitor Experience Alain Gelly, Historian Jacques Guimond, Archaeologist Yann Troutet, Ecologist team leader, Mingan Field Unit Nancy Dénommée, Resource Management Officer, Mingan Field Unit Contribution of the Genuine Participation Pilot Experiment Committee with respect to the review of the Management Plan Regroupement Petapan inc. Mathias Mestenapeo, Francis Malec, Gaston Kaltush and Alain Wapistan, Nutashkuan First Nations Representatives Vincent Gerardin, Coordinator for Regroupement Petapan Inc. Ministerial Representatives of Parks Canada and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada We would also like to thank The members of the park management Follow-up Committee, the Nutashkuan and the Ekuanitshit First Nations members, as well as any other individuals and organizations who participated in the public consultation. 6 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Summary This Management Plan proposes a new vision, key strategies There is no change in the zoning provided in the Management and an action plan for the Mingan Archipelago National Park Plan. However, the national park reserve may modify it within the Reserve. The plan primarily defines and focuses on relations with framework of newly acquired knowledge or in response to a new the concerned Aboriginal communities, improving the National visitor experience offer, especially in the East sector. Park Reserve’s national and international reputation in order to increase visitation, and the continued efforts influencing Continued efforts shall be made over the next few years in order to the integrity of the ecosystems and the conservation of cultural achieve certain concrete results and improve several management resources. Finally, the plan, developed in cooperation with aspects of the national park reserve, and meet Parks Canada the Nutashkuan Inuit community as well as municipal and performance objectives. regional stakeholders, lays the foundation for the protection and presentation of the park reserve’s East sector. All these initiatives focus on creating a certain synergy that will stimulate the commitment to the national park reserve of Three key strategies providing strategic direction, divided by residents of the Minganie region as well as the general population, region, were developed in order to address the main challenges thus ensuring its sustainability. and opportunities facing the park reserve in the coming years. Each addresses the various aspects of Parks Canada’s integrated mandate, and provides direction for the protection of natural and cultural resources, the facilitation of meaningful visitor experiences, outreach and public education. For each of the key strategies, objectives, actions and performance indicators have been proposed. An action plan has also been incorporated into this document. 1. A special relationship with the First Nations; 2. A nationally and internationally renowned National Park Reserve; 3. The park reserve which is the regional pride 4. A management approach specific to the East sector 7 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Table of Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................................................6 Summary ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................7 Table of contents ...............................................................................................................................................................................................8 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................................10 1. The purpose and the importance of the park reserve ................................................................................................................................10 The West Sector .......................................................................................................................................................................................12 The East Sector .........................................................................................................................................................................................15 2. Planning context ..........................................................................................................................................................................................15 2.1 Summary of the State of the park reserve ........................................................................................................................................15 2.2 Key Accomplishments since the Inception of the 2005 Management Plan ...................................................................................16 2.3 Working with First Nations Peoples .................................................................................................................................................16 2.4 Working with the community ............................................................................................................................................................17 2.5 Species at risk .....................................................................................................................................................................................17 2.6 Ecological Integrity Monitoring Program .......................................................................................................................................17 2.7 Visitor Experience ..............................................................................................................................................................................18 2.8 External Relations .............................................................................................................................................................................18 2.9 Engaging Stakeholders and Partners ................................................................................................................................................19 2.10 Key Issues and Challenges ..............................................................................................................................................................19 3. A New Vision ..............................................................................................................................................................................................20 4. Management Approach ...............................................................................................................................................................................21 4. 1 Key Strategies ....................................................................................................................................................................................21 4.1.1 A Special Relationship with the First Nations ...........................................................................................................................21 4.1.2 A Nationally and Internationally Renowned Park Reserve .....................................................................................................22 4.1.3 A Park Reserve which is the Regional Pride ............................................................................................................................25 4.1.4 A Specific Management Approach for the East Sector ............................................................................................................26 4.2 Recurring Park Reserve Activities ....................................................................................................................................................29 5. Action Plan and Priorities ..........................................................................................................................................................................30 6. Zoning ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................34 Zone 1 : Special Preservation ..................................................................................................................................................................34 Zone 2 : Wilderness ..................................................................................................................................................................................34 Zone 3 : Natural Environment .................................................................................................................................................................35 6.1 The East Sector’s Zoning ....................................................................................................................................................................35 6.2 Zoning Guidelines ..............................................................................................................................................................................35 8 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN 7. Summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................................................................................39 7.1 Conformity ..........................................................................................................................................................................................39 7.2 Scope ...................................................................................................................................................................................................39 7.3 Assessment of the Potential Impacts and Proposed Management Strategies .................................................................................39 7.4 Mitigation Measures to Eliminate or Minimize Negative Impacts .................................................................................................40 7.5 Residual Effects ................................................................................................................................................................................41 7.6 Evaluation of Possible Cumulative Effects that May Result from the Actions and Projects in the Management Plan ..................41 7.7 Ecological Integrity Monitoring ........................................................................................................................................................41 7.8 Requirements for an Environmental Assessment ............................................................................................................................41 7.9 Assessment of the Global Impact ......................................................................................................................................................41 7.10 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................................................................41 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................................................................................42 Note to reader ..................................................................................................................................................................................................42 Glossary ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................43 9 Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada 2014 MANAGEMENT PLAN Introduction 1. The purpose and the importance of the park reserve On behalf of the people of Canada, Parks Canada manages a vast network of national parks, national historic sites and national Since its creation in 1984, the aim of the Mingan Archipelago marine conservation areas. The Agency is proud of these heritage National Park Reserve of Canada has been to safeguard in sites and protects and presents these nationally significant perpetuity a natural area of Canadian interest representative examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage, and fosters of the East St. Lawrence Lowlands natural region within the public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that Canadian national parks network. The East sector of the park ensure the ecological and commemorative integrity of these reserve is part of the East Coast Boreal Natural Region, the places for present and future generations. In accordance with easternmost part of the Canadian Shield. the National Parks Act (2000) and the Parks Canada Agency Act (1998), Parks Canada must produce a Management Plan for each The Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve is located of the heritage places under its responsibility. This Management in Eastern Quebec, along the northern shore of the Gulf of Plan is the key accountability document for the Mingan St. Lawrence, between Anticosti Island and Quebec’s Middle Archipelago National Park Reserve to the Canadian public. It has North Shore. This insular territory of approximately 100 km2 already been approved and tabled in Parliament by the Minister of is comprised of 20-some islands and approximately 1,000 Environment. coastal islets that extend over more than 150 km between île aux Perroquets to the west and the Aguanish River to the east. The management plan was drafted following consultation with employees, regional Innu communities, the follow-up committee, Parks Canada’s partners and the general public. These consultations allow stakeholders to exercise their right to an effective voice regarding the future direction of the park reserve. The management plan also provides a framework for future decision making. It describes how Parks Canada, the Innu communities, the stakeholders and the general public should collaborate in order to manage the park reserve for the long term. The plan also provides a clear strategic orientation for the management of the park reserve by presenting a vision for the next 15 years, key strategies, objectives and an action plan. This management plan contributes to the achievement of Parks Canada’s vision, which reads as follows: “Canada’s treasured natural and historic places will be a living legacy, connecting hearts and minds to a stronger, deeper understanding of the very essence of Canada”. The management guidelines presented in this management plan, ensure that any measures taken are consistent with Parks Canada’s mandate, laws and policies. The management plan also demonstrates the effective use of public funds in the park reserve management by providing the means to monitor and measure the effectiveness of actions found in the plan. It will guide the development of the park reserve business plan. Annual implementation reporting will monitor progress towards achieving the actions set forth in the management plan. Through the activities of the Follow-up Committee, the promotion of continuous dialogue between partners and stakeholders will be maintained. 10