Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (French:zones de protection marine) are zones withinCanadian waters where the marine environment receives a high level of environmental protection. Marine Protected Areas are governed by theOceans Act of 1996 and administered byFisheries and Oceans Canada.^[1] The federal government of Canada has committed to protecting 25% of its oceans as Marine Protected Areas by the year 2025, and a further 5% (30% of the ocean area of theExclusive Economic Zone) by 2030.^[2]

On 25 April 2019, new standards were adopted formarine protected areas that prohibit four industrial activities: oil and gas activities, mining, dumping, and bottom trawling. These standards do not retroactively void existing oil and gas licenses, or void previously approved bottom trawling activities. Instead, the department will assess each issue of these now prohibited activities on a case-by-case basis to ensure they're in line with the conservation objectives of the specific area.^[3] However, designation as a Marine Protected Area does not automatically prohibit fishing and other activities. Activities within these areas are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are permitted if they are consistent with the conservation objectives of the specific area.^[1]

Fisheries and Oceans Canada collaborates with interested and affected parties to provide input into the establishment of a marine protected area. When an area is under consideration to become a marine protected area, it is identified as anArea of Interest. If further study is required to develop an appropriate long-term conservation approach, it is identified as aStudy Area.^[4]

The department determines the viability of a proposal based upon the ecological, biophysical, social, cultural, and economic aspects of the area. Based on the overview and assessment reports, the conservation objectives of the proposed MPA are elaborated upon and the regulatory measures are developed. The proposal is then published inCanada Gazette, Part I for public comment, at which point regulations may be modified to reflect comments received. Once finalized, official MPA designation occurs when its regulations are published inCanada Gazette, Part II.^[4]

As of June 2023, there were 14 Marine Protected Areas covering an area of approximately 351,514 km² (135,720 sq mi), or about 6% of Canada’s marine and coastal areas.^[5]

Name	Location	Established	Area (km2)[5]	Natural region[5]	Description
Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam	Northwest Territories	2016	2,358	Western Arctic	Protects ecologically important habitats forArctic char,cod,beluga andbowhead whales,ringed andbearded seals,polar bears, and numerous sea birds.[6]
Banc-des-Américains	Quebec	2019	1,000	Estuary andGulf of Saint Lawrence	Protects thebenthic andpelagic ecosystems of an underwater ridge extending southeast fromCap Gaspé.
Basin Head	Prince Edward Island	2005	9	Estuary andGulf of Saint Lawrence	Protects an underwater ecosystem supportingIrish moss
Eastport	Newfoundland and Labrador	2005	2	Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves	Protects an area of highbiological productivity and the spawning grounds oflobster fish.[7]
Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents	British Columbia	2003	97	Offshore Pacific	Protects a collection ofhydrothermal vents nestled within theJuan de Fuca Ridge.
Gilbert Bay	Newfoundland and Labrador	2005	60	Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves	Protects a genetically unique resident population ofAtlantic cod known as "Gilbert Bay cod".[8]
The Gully	Nova Scotia	2004	2,363	Scotian Shelf	Protects a deepsubmarine canyon ecosystem and endangeredcetacean populations in the area.
Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs	British Columbia	2017	2,410	Northern Shelf	Protects fourglass sponge reefs that were the first discovered living specimens and are the largest glass sponge reefs in the world.
Laurentian Channel	Newfoundland and Labrador	2019	11,580	Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves	Protects a variety of endangered species within the channel.
Musquash Estuary	New Brunswick	2006	7	Scotian Shelf	Protects the largest ecologically-intactsalt marsh in theBay of Fundy.
Saint Anns Bank	Nova Scotia	2017	4,364	Scotian Shelf	Protects a region of highbiodiversity andbiological productivity off the east coast ofCape Breton Island.
SG̲áan K̲ínghlas-Bowie Seamount	British Columbia	2008	6,103	Offshore Pacific	Protects a unique, biologically diverse marine community ofdeep sea,subtidal, andintertidal species.[9]
Tang.ɢ̱wan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is	British Columbia	2024	133,017	Offshore Pacific	Protectsseamounts andhydrothermal vents.[10]
Tarium Niryutait	Northwest Territories Yukon	2010	1,750	Western Arctic	Protects a dynamic, highly productive, and biologically diverse marine ecosystem located within the outer reaches of theMackenzie Riverdelta.[11]
Tuvaijuittuq	Nunavut	2019	319,411	Arctic Basin andArctic Archipelago	Protects a diverse marine ecosystem dependent on thick, multi-yearpack ice created by the circulation of theBeaufort Gyre.[12]

Name	Location	Area (km2)[4]	Natural region[4]	Description
Eastern Shore Islands	Nova Scotia	2,000	Scotian Shelf	A large,highly productive, and ecologically intact stretch of coastline between the villages ofMarie Joseph andJeddore.[13]
Fundian Channel-Browns Bank	Nova Scotia	7,200	Scotian Shelf	Area hosting diversebenthic habitats and depleted fish species.[14]
Northern Gulf of St. Lawrence	Quebec	TBD[15]	Estuary andGulf of Saint Lawrence
Race Rocks (XwaYeN)	British Columbia	2	Southern Shelf	[16]
St. Lawrence Estuary	Quebec	6,000	Estuary andGulf of Saint Lawrence	Currently undergoing additional studies to develop an appropriate long-term conservation approach.
Shediac Valley	New Brunswick Prince Edward Island	1,530	Estuary andGulf of Saint Lawrence	Area of highbiological productivity and a key habitat for various fish species.[17]
Southampton Island	Nunavut	93,087	Hudson Complex	Area of highbiological productivity.[18]

• National Marine Conservation Area

• Marine Protected Areas of Canada

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• Articles containing French-language text