National Parks in Quebec

Quebec has three national parks and one marine conservation area. La Mauricie Park is located on the northern shore of the St Lawrence River, and Mingan Archipelago Park protects islands, islets and reefs in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Forillon National Park is situated at the farthest reach of the Gaspé Peninsula.

Saguenay St Laurent Marine Conservation area sets aside protected area for the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord.

Forillon National Park  – The "Jewel of the Gaspé" where land meets sea

Forillon, a national park created in 1970, is located at the farthest reach of the Gaspé Peninsula. Its majestic landscapes cover a 244 km2 area that is carved out of the sea, cliffs and mountains. Forillon protects a representative sample of the Notre-Dame and Mégantic mountain regions and certain elements of the Gulf of St. Lawrence marine region. The presence of ten different rock formations, colonies of seabirds and enigmatic artic-alpine plants give this park its unique character.

La Mauricie National Park - Lakes winding through forested hills for canoe and portage activities

La Mauricie National Park invites you to a close encounter with the Laurentians, the chain of mountains flanking the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River. Covering an area of 536 km2, the park gives off an air of serenity throughout its gently contoured terrain. On this vast plateau of rolling hills intersected by valleys and dotted with myriads of lakes, life moves in perfect unison with nature. Here only the changes of the seasons mark the passage of time, retouching the landscape with subtle strokes and calling visitors with a promise of both activity and relaxation.

Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve - A string of islands carved out by the sea

Beyond the 50th parallel, along the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, lies a remarkably beautiful scattering of some forty limestone islands and more than 1000 granitic islets and reefs. The territory, the "Mingan Archipelago", became a national park reserve in 1984. This necklace of land carved out of the limestone bedrock is the site of spectacular natural monuments which bear witness to the never-ending wear of the sea and of the centuries. And there is an abundance of life in this strange half-world: plants of variegated hues and shapes, seabirds gathered in colonies, seals, dolphins and whales.

Saguenay St Laurent Marine Conservation Area

Since its creation in 1998, the marine park has worked to protect and present the marine environment of a section St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord. With a surface area of 1 138 km2, this large ecosystem is unique because of its sea bottom topography and its fjord . The confluence of waters of the St. Lawrence Estuary with those of the Saguenay Fjord promots significant biological diversity. Five cetacean species inhabit the waters of the marine park, including the St. Lawrence beluga, a protected species. In all, more than fifteen species of marine mammals have been reported, which bears witness to the marine park’s ecological significance.

Species At Risk in Quebec Parks

• Beluga whale – St Lawrence population – Saguenay St Laurent Marine Park 
• Blue whale – Atlantic population – Saguenay St Laurent Marine Park 
• Eastern wolf – La Mauricie National Park 
• Mingan thistle – Mingan Archipelago National Park