The Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS; ) 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. 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.
Individual jurisdictions can co-nominate and co-designate their respective rivers or river segments in accordance with guidance from the program Charter, and Strategic Plan, and the Principles, Procedures and Operational Guidelines (PPOG).
History The Canadian Heritage Rivers System was established in 1984. The first Canadian Heritage River was the French River in Ontario, designated in 1986.
By 1996 there were 29 designated rivers.
Quebec withdrew its participation in 2006."Canadian Heritage Rivers System". The Canadian Encyclopedia There are currently 42 designated, and one nominated river or river segments; with rivers designated in every province and territory except for Quebec.About the Canadian Heritage Rivers System on The Canadian Heritage Rivers System
The most recent designation under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System has been a 718-kilometre segment of the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta, which was originally nominated by Smoky Lake County in 2021, and finally designated in 2024 and extends the 49-kilometre portion within Banff National Park which was originally recognized in 1989.
Designated rivers 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 1989North Saskatchewan River (in Alberta, below Banff National Park)Alberta2024 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 River Province/Territory Year Coppermine River Nunavut 2002
Quebec participation 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".Ottawa River Designated a Canadian Heritage River , Parks Canada news release, July 28, 2016
Recent program updates Changes to the program's Principles, Procedures and Operational Guidelines, and the latest Strategic Plan have aimed to modernize the system.
Specifically, the 2020-2030 Strategic Plan identifies four priorities:
Advancing Reconciliation on Canadian Heritage Rivers Strengthening the Canadian Heritage Rivers Network Excellence in River Management and Conservation Engaging Canadians in Celebrating and Stewarding Heritage Rivers
Awards The organization has two awards, the Heritage River Award and the Canadian River Stewardship Award. Previous recipients of the Heritage River Award include: +Heritage River Award1994Mr. Kirk Wipper, Founder of the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association, Toronto1998Mr. Bill Reid, Haida Artist and Sculptor, Vancouver2001Mr. Pierre Elliot Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, Montreal2004Elder William Commanda, Algonquin Nation of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Maniwaki, Quebec2007Mr. Hap Wilson, author, wilderness adventurer and artist, Temagami, Ontario2009Mr. Max Finkelstein, paddler, author and river advocate, Ottawa2013Mr. Don Gibson, river conservation advocate and long-time National Manager of the CHRS program, Ottawa2016Professor Bruce and Carol Hodgins, wilderness canoe leaders, educators and operators of Camp Wahnapitae, Peterborough2021Bobbi Rose Koe, advocate for youth, river conservationist, watershed protector, Yukon
See also American Heritage Rivers, America's counterpart to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System
References
External links Canadian Heritage River Website