GOVERNMENTS AGREE TO GRASSLANDS PARK BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS

Released on May 27, 1996

Acting Minister of Canadian Heritage Lucienne Robillard and
Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management Minister Lorne Scott
today announced that a 1988 federal-provincial agreement has been
amended to adjust the boundaries of Grasslands National Park.

These adjustments add 47 quarter-sections of uncultivated lands within
the boundary of the park and remove 47.75 quarter-sections of
previously cultivated land. The park remains virtually the same size
as before, but with land that better fulfils the Grasslands National
park mandate, which is to preserve representative areas of the
mixed-grass prairie ecosystem.

"The boundary adjustment has improved the natural heritage value of
land in Grasslands National Park, and brings the park an important step
closer to completion," Robillard said. "It will also help the federal
government save money by reducing rehabilitation costs."

As part of the 1988 agreement, Saskatchewan was to designate all of the
waterways within the new boundaries of Grasslands National Park as
protected areas under The Provincial Parks Act. This designation
officially occurred on April 30, 1996. National park wardens will
share enforcement authority over this protected area with the
Saskatchewan government, as provided for under the 1988 Grasslands
National Park agreement.

"The agreement with the federal government recognized provincial
jurisdiction over waterways in Grasslands National Park," Scott said.
"The Grasslands Protected Areas ensure the waterways within the
boundaries of the park will continue to be managed effectively."

The federal and provincial governments agreed to create the Grasslands
National Park in 1981, and signed a second agreement in 1988 which
improved compensation for landowners and strengthened provincial
authority over the park. Since then, the federal government has been
acquiring land within the park boundaries on a willing seller - willing
buyer basis. Parks Canada has already acquired 39 of the 47 new
quarter-sections identified in the amended agreement.

The Government of Saskatchewan will soon finalize the transfer of
administration and control of the new lands to the Government of
Canada. Parks Canada will then begin the process to formally add
Grasslands National Park to the national parks system.

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For more information, contact:

Jim Masyk Ken Lozinsky
Canadian Heritage Saskatchewan Environment
Phone: (306) 298-2257 and Resource Management
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-2854