HomeBuilding a capital that reflects all Canadians is a unique responsibility, which is both complex and rewarding. More than a century of responsible land use planning and development have contributed to a capital that today is recognized for its beauty, architecture, natural and cultural treasures, and national symbols.
At the dawn of the 21st century, the work continues. There is still much to accomplish, in terms of both preserving the achievements of the past and ensuring that Canada’s Capital Region continues to evolve at the same pace as that of the nation it represents.
The National Capital Act, adopted by Parliament in 1958, gives the National Capital Commission (NCC) the mandate “to prepare plans for and assist in the development, conservation and improvement of the National Capital Region in order that the nature and character of the seat of the Government of Canada may be in accordance with its national significance…” In fulfilling this mandate, the NCC also aims to inspire Canadians with pride, by undertaking the following:
- guiding the physical development and use of federal lands;
- planning development that is appropriate to the role and significance of Canada’s Capital Region;
- preparing long-term vision plans to guide policies for the ownership, use and development of federal lands;
- preparing sector and area plans, concepts and guidelines to shape the development of specific areas within the Capital;
- preparing land use and design approvals for all federal lands in the region.
The NCC owns more than 470 square kilometres (nearly 10 percent) of the land in Canada’s Capital Region, and is responsible for the care and maintenance of a varied collection of properties. In the past century, the NCC and its predecessors have achieved the following:
- protected more than 50,000 hectares of land, parks and green spaces;
- created large urban parks and connecting green spaces;
- bought, and thus saved from demolition, many heritage buildings and other Capital treasures;
- built half a dozen major bridges and hundreds of kilometres of recreational pathways and scenic parkways.
Horizon 2067: Charting the Future of Canada’s Capital in the 21st Century is the next in the series of plans for Canada’s Capital. This long-term plan will define the future for federal lands in Canada’s Capital Region for the next 50 years, until 2067.
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