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More than two million lakes

Approximately 60% of Canada’s freshwater drains to the north

Of nearly 39 million Canadians, approximately seven million live in coastal marine areas

One in two Canadians live along the Great Lakes & St Lawrence River

243,042 km of coastline — the longest of any country

One of the largest renewable supplies of freshwater
in the world

Over 8,500 named rivers

Explore

ABOUT CANADA’S OCEAN & FRESHWATER

More than two million lakes

Approximately 60 per cent of Canada’s freshwater drains to the north

Of nearly 39 million Canadians, approximately seven million live in coastal marine areas

One in two Canadians live along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River

243,042 kms of coastline - the longest of any country

20 per cent of the world’s surface freshwater

One of the largest renewable supplies of freshwater in the world

PROTECTED AREAS (PAs) IN CANADA

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Areas of the ocean that are legally managed – from surface to seafloor – to conserve marine biodiversity. They provide protection from potentially harmful activities, while also supporting sustainable industries, local economies, and coastal communities. Canada currently has 14 MPAs comprising more than 350,000 square kilometres of our marine and coastal areas.

National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs)

Established and managed to protect and conserve marine areas for the benefit, education and enjoyment of people. NMCAs create memorable experiences for visitors, promote awareness and understanding of marine ecosystems, and provide benefits for Indigenous peoples and coastal communities. Canada currently has five NMCAs comprising 123,490 square kilometres of marine and coastal areas in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans and the Great Lakes.

Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs)

Areas that provide similar benefits to protected areas, but do not have conservation as their primary objective. Currently, the only OECMs that count toward Canada’s overall marine protection goals are marine refuges, which prohibit certain types of fishing activities to protect vulnerable species or features of the seafloor.

Other

Areas which do not meet the definition of an MPA, NMCA or OECM but still contribute meaningfully to marine conservation in Canada are included here. These areas include migratory bird sanctuaries, provincially managed marine parks, and terrestrial national parks that border marine areas.

EXPLORE MAP

CANADA's PAs

Indigenous Protected & Conserved Areas

ilinationhood.ca

Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) are places that Indigenous Nations identify for conservation. These lands and waters help sustain Indigenous communities and the health of the world. IPCAs reflect Indigenous laws and traditions and ensure Indigenous Peoples can maintain their relationship with these lands and waters.

Indigenous Guardians

ilinationhood.ca/guardians

Indigenous Guardians help Indigenous Nations honour the responsibility to care for lands and waters. They serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ on traditional territories.

A note from the cartographer

Chris Brackley

Ocean, Freshwater, and Us. The title of this map is perfectly descriptive of its content. It is a map that highlights the foundational connections between ourselves and the water that surrounds and sustains us. The massive freshwater flow arrows highlight the reality that while few Canadians live close to the ocean, we are all connected to it via our local and ever-flowing lakes, rivers, and wetlands. And this connection is more than conceptual. What we put into our freshwater systems invariably flows to the ocean, affecting the delicate marine ecosystems sometimes thousands of kilometres from our homes.

Of course, human impact on the ocean is often more direct, and this map also highlights our efforts to protect the ocean through a growing network of protected areas. There are no “one-size-fits-all” solutions to protecting ocean environments, and the different protected areas on this map reflect that reality; some remove certain fishing pressures, some limit ship traffic and anchoring, some limit or prohibit resource development, and some do all of the above.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRIS

Our Partners

In Conservation

Ocean, Freshwater, and Us is the result of an ongoing national collaboration, led by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, between the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and numerous partners. Click the logos below to visit their websites and learn more about their work.