The Gouvernement du Québec, the Cree Nation Government and the Government of Canada will continue working together on a new marine protection area project.

Beaupré, October 18, 2024 – Recognizing the importance of protecting the ecological integrity, biodiversity and cultural value of the coastal waters of Québec’s Eeyou Istchee Baie-James region, the Gouvernement du Québec, the Cree Nation Government and the Government of Canada are announcing their intention to work together on a project to establish a marine protection area (MPA) to preserve this natural and cultural treasure. This project is complementary to the Wiinipaakw Indigenous Protected Area and national marine conservation area (IPA-NMCA) project in the offshore waters of Baie James, which is also announced today, and would protect an important part of the area’s unique northern ecosystems sustaining the Cree way of life.

Announced today by Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister Responsible for the Laurentides Region, Mandy Gull-Masty, Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) and Chairperson of the Cree Nation Government, and Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, this project will also work towards creating a continuum of land-sea protection with the existing network of protected areas. Ultimately, this would be the first MPA in the coastal waters of the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James region, enhancing the representativeness of Québec’s MPA network.

This announcement is a first step. The Gouvernement du Québec, the Cree Nation Government and Parks Canada will continue their discussions over the coming years to determine the precise area and conservation objectives of this MPA project. All stakeholders, including Indigenous communities and regional organizations, will be consulted on the project at key points in the process. In addition, the coastal marine environment in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James region will be protected according to traditional Indigenous knowledge and practices, as well as the latest scientific knowledge.

This initiative is in line with the commitment made by the governments of Québec and Canada to achieve the targets of the Kunming-Montréal Global Framework derived from the Convention on Biological Diversity, including the goal of conserving 30 per cent of land and water by 2030. It will also contribute to protecting the Cree way of life, and to the implementation of the Cree Regional Conservation Strategy, which aims to develop a world-class network of protected areas, from land to sea, in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James region. We all recognize that protecting such a precious natural environment and cultural landscape calls for strong cooperation, close collaboration and consultation with all involved.

From February 4 to 6, 2025, the Cree Nation Government (CNG), with the support of Groupe BC2 Inter-Nation Collaboration, hosted the Cree Nation Government Forum on Indigenous Governance and Management of Protected Areas at Lac Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec. The three-day event brought together community leaders, land stewards, decision-makers, and conservation experts to explore pathways toward Cree-led governance of protected areas in Eeyou Istchee. The forum offered a platform for sharing insights, lessons learned, and practical strategies drawn from local, regional, and national conservation experiences.

Highlights of the Forum

Presentations for sharing knowledge and experiences were structured around three key themes:

1. Working towards the Protection and Conservation of Eeyou Istchee

The forum provided an opportunity to provide an update and a comprehensive overview of the CNG’s ongoing efforts to protect and conserve Eeyou Istchee. Two presentations addressed this topic:

• Protected Areas Project in Eeyou Istchee. Chantal Otter-Tetreault, Protected Areas Manager at the CNG. See presentation
• Management of Biodiversity Reserves in Quebec. Mathilde Boissé-Gadoury, Team Leader at the Protected Areas Management Division, MELCCFP. See presentation

2. Learning from Here

The forum also featured presentations on different ways protected areas support and are supported by other Cree-led initiatives:

• Cree Nation Research Institute Project (CNRI). Norman A. Wapachee, Grand Chief, and Vincent Gautier-Doucet, Project Manager for the CNRI Project. See presentation
• Eeyou Istchee Land Keeper Program. Nadia Saganash, Director of Quebec and Indigenous Relations, CNG, and Benoit Longchamp, Coordinator of Operations for the Eeyou Istchee Land Keeper Program. See presentation
• Cree Tourism Opportunities. Robin McGinley, Executive Director of the Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association (COTA). See presentation

As part of the Learning from Here session, three conservation area projects that were developed recently were showcased:

• Nunavik’s National Parks. Isabeau Pratte, Conservation and Education Specialist, Kativik Regional Government (KRG), and Bobby Tooktoo, Director of Tursujuq National Park. See presentation
• Nibiischii National Park. Mireille Gravel, Executive Director of the Nibiischii Corporation. See presentation
• Wiinipaakw Indigenous Protected Area and NMCA. Diane Blanchard, Manager, NMCA Establishment, Parks Canada and Christopher Beck, Coordinator of Marine Conservation, CNG. See presentation

3. Learning from Others: Exploring Inspiring Cases

Participants had the opportunity to learn from various inspiring cases in Quebec and Canada. These included Indigenous-led conservation initiatives, the engagement of different stakeholders, the development of sustainable management strategies, and the exploration of financial alternatives. The insights provided valuable guidance for the ongoing development of protected and conserved areas in Eeyou Istchee:

• Thaidëné Nëné Protected Area. Adeline Jonasson, Former Chief and Thaidëné Nëné Advisory Committee Member and Chair of Thaidëné Nëné Xá Dá Yalti. See presentation
• IPCAs and Indigenous-Led Conservation: History, Progress, and Impact. Eli Enns, Co-founder and CEO of the IISAAK OLAM Foundation. See presentation
• Uapishka Biodiversity Reserve. Jean-Philippe L. Messier, Executive Director of the Manicouagan-Uapishka UNESCO Biosphere Region. See presentation
• Sustainable Financial Models. Jason Taylor, CEO & Founder of Climate Finance Advisors. See presentation

Collaborative Workshops and Other Activities

As part of the forum, three interactive workshops were developed with a focus on governance and management of protected areas at both regional and community levels:

• Regional Management Structure for the Protected Area Network
• Exploring Management Scenarios
• Discussion: Community Aspirations and Capacities for Protected Area Management

Key outcomes from the workshop’s discussions underscored the need for stronger collaboration between communities. Community leaders emphasized the importance of sharing data and best practices across Eeyou Istchee, as well as coordinating efforts to develop capacity through training and increased funding to support future management and operations of the protected areas.

A field trip to Gatineau Park was organized to meet with management staff to learn more about their organisational structure and gain a greater understanding of the day-to-day operations involved in managing nature conservation in balance with user experience.

An information kiosk providing details on the ongoing Terrestrial Protected Areas Project was installed, including the update to the Cree Regional Conservation Strategy, maps of the existing protected area network and the national marine conservation area, as well as an overview of conservation planning tools available in Quebec to achieve various objectives for land protection.

Looking Ahead

The outcomes from the discussions will inform the planning and approach for the upcoming engagement sessions in Spring 2025. At that time, community leaders, tallymen, and land stewards from all the communities will be invited to propose conservation objectives, to review and explore potential expansion areas, and to explore tools and mechanisms for governance and management of protected areas. This forum served as an essential step in the overall process to develop an Eeyou-led protected area network.

For more information, consult the forum’s Summary Report.

The Cree Nation Government and Parks Canada announced the successful completion of the Feasibility Assessment and signed an agreement to formally work toward establishing a proposed Indigenous Protected Area and National Marine Conservation Area in the offshore waters of the Eeyou Marine Region. This is a major step toward achieving official protection for Wiinipaakw (James Bay), a unique marine environment that represents an essential part of the Cree culture and Eeyou pimaatisiiwin (Cree way of life).

The establishment of a protected area aligns with the treaties and rights of the Eeyouch (Crees) of Eeyou Istchee and their determination to maintain their culture and pimaastisiiwin (way of life). Protecting this hub for migrating geese, ducks, shore birds, and marine mammals would also support food security.

The announcement was made in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Québec, by Grand Chief/Chairperson Mandy Gull-Masty of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)/ Cree Nation Government and the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada.

Mandy Gull-Masty, Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and Chairperson of the Cree Nation Government, has received an award on behalf of the many individuals who contributed to the implementation of the Cree Regional Conservation Strategy.

The ILCN Conservation Visionary Award is presented every three years at the ILCN’s triennial Global Congress to exceptional leaders and organizations that have made enduring contributions to land conservation policy and practice. This year’s Global Congress will bring together 250 land conservation practitioners across six continents from October 16 to 18 in Quebec, Canada. The 2024 Global Congress is cohosted by Canada’s leading land conservation organization, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).

Grand Chief Gull-Masty is the first woman to be elected Grand Chief of the Cree Nation. Throughout her career, she has championed her people’s interests and advocated for centering Cree values and leadership in the expansion of conservation lands across the Cree territory. Through collaborating with nongovernmental organizations and international platforms, Chief Gull-Masty has effectively conveyed the Cree community’s concerns and emphasized the importance of Indigenous protected areas.

Grand Chief Gull-Masty played a key role in the Cree Nation’s collective efforts to protect about 10 million acres (some 4 million hectares) in Eeyou Istchee, the Cree people’s ancestral homeland. The Cree Regional Conservation Strategy is distinctive not only for its scale, ambitious targets for biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and sustainable community development, but also for the manner in which it carefully integrates the traditional knowledge of Cree land users, who have lived intimately with the land over many generations, and the expertise of Geographic Information System specialists at the Cree Nation and at supporting organizations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada.