Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site Management Plan Tabled in Parliament

Press Release

From: Parks Canada

National historic sites reflect the rich and varied heritage of Canada and provide an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about our diverse history. The network of national heritage places administered by Parks Canada represents the very best that Canada has to offer and tell stories of who we are, including the histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples.

The management plan for Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site was recently tabled in Parliament. Reviewed every ten years, management plans are a requirement of the Parks Canada Agency Act and guide the management of national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas.

The new management plan for Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site outlines the following three key strategies:

•  Working with partners to present stories and build community, through building stronger connections with Indigenous partners and maintaining strong relationships with tour companies and other organizations operating in Churchill.
• Conserving cultural and natural heritage focusing on managing the condition of cultural resources to maintain commemorative integrity and safe, meaningful experiences.
• Supporting safe and meaningful visitor experiences with accessible visitor facilities and fortification structures.

The management plan for Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site was based on input from Indigenous partners of northern Manitoba, members of the tourism industry, other partners and stakeholders, local residents, as well as visitors past and present. Through this management plan, Parks Canada will protect an important example of cultural heritage in Canada, engage and collaborate with Indigenous peoples, and provide an opportunity for Canadians to experience and discover history in new and innovative ways.

To learn more about Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site, and the new Management Plan, please visit their website. 

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Quotes

“National historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas protect our shared natural and cultural heritage, support biodiversity, and tell the stories of Canada from all perspectives. They are places where countless Canadians and visitors from around the world connect with history and discover nature every day. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the management plan for Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site that will help shape the future of this treasured place. As the Minister responsible for Parks Canada, I applaud this collaborative effort to ensure Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site continues to protect our shared national heritage and will be enjoyed for generations to come.”

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault,

Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

Quick facts

• Prince of Wales Fort was designated a national historic site in 1920 and was expanded with the addition of Sloop Cove and Cape Merry in 1933. The enduring, unspoiled landscape, relatively unchanged on the West Peninsula since before the fort was established, is also recognized as part of the site’s historic value.
• Crucial to the fort’s operations at the mouth of the Churchill River, were nearby Dene and Cree families known as Homeguards, who provisioned the post with meat, fish and country-made articles such as cold-weather clothing and snowshoes for winter travel. They served as guides and couriers, trappers, provisioners and consumers.
• Matonabbee, a prolific Denesuline leader, hunter and explorer who traversed the arctic with Hudson’s Bay Company explorer Samuel Hearne, was raised in and around Prince of Wales Fort from 1737 to 1741, returning to work for the fort in adulthood.
• Intended to be an impregnable English stronghold, the stone fort was constructed over four decades (1730-1771) and is a 17th-century Vauban style fortification featuring four diamond-shaped bastions tied together by straight curtain walls.
• Forty of the original 42 cannons are still mounted on the fort’s 11 m thick walls, all irreparably damaged after the fort was captured by French Naval officer Jean-Francois de la Perouse in 1782.
• Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site typically welcomes between 5,000 and 11,000 visitors on a yearly basis, a collaborative effort with local tourism operators who offer boat transport to the site.

Associated links

• Parks Canada
• Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site
• Parks Canada, Manitoba Facebook
• Parks Canada, Manitoba X (Twitter)

Contacts

Jared Kist
External Relations Manager
Manitoba Field Unit
204-983-7965
Jared.kist@pc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Parks Canada
1-855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca

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