The network of protected areas throughout Quebec covers 274,431km² or 16.5% of Quebec's land base, an increase of 124,355 km² since 2013.
Only 10.1% of the land south of the 49th parallel is protected, an increase of 20,386 km² since 2013.
19.2% of the territory north of the 49th parallel is protected, an increase of 107,901 km² since 2013.
16.89%, or 255,377 km², of the continental land base (land and freshwater) is protected. 12.21%, or 18 991 km², of marine and coastal areas are protected.
Quebec is nearing the 17% target for land protection for biodiversity conservation as set out in the Aichi Targets. The distribution of protected areas is uneven: protection is higher in the north where climate change will be most rapid, but lower in southern Quebec where species at risk are concentrated.
Between 2023 and 2024, northern and southern Quebec saw increases in land protection of 1,556 km² and 119 km², respectively.
The index presents the proportion of the terrestrial land base protected in Quebec, taking into account the protection status recognized in the Registre des aires protégées du Québec.
Data sources MELCCFP 2024. Registre des aires protégées au Québec, mis à jour le 2024-03-31. https://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/biodiversite/aires_protegees/registre/
MINISTÈRE DE L’ENVIRONNEMENT, LUTTE CONTRE LES CHANGEMENTS CLIMATIQUES, FAUNE ET PARCS. Registre des aires protégées au Québec, [Jeu de données], dans Données Québec, 2018, mis à jour le 16 avril 2024. [https://www.donneesquebec.ca/recherche/dataset/aires-protegees-au-quebec], (consulté le 12 juin 2024).
Treatment Protected area sizes are based on official measures. Where there is overlap between two protected areas, the calculation is modified to avoid double counting the overlapping area.
Rapport sur la contribution du Québec au plan stratégique de la convention des Nations Unies sur la diversité biologique 2011-2020 et ses objectifs d'Aichi Ministère de l’Environnement et de la lutte contre les changements climatiques. (2022). Rapport sur la contribution du Québec au plan stratégique de la convention des Nations Unies sur la diversité biologique 2011-2020 et ses objectifs d'Aichi
Registre des aires protégées au Québec Consultez le lien sur le site du MELCCFP