Canada's Breathtaking Northern National Parks Unveiled on Google Maps

Some of Canada's most remote landscapes now featured on popular Google Street View

OTTAWA, April 30, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, along with Google Canada, today announced that Google Street View imagery of more national parks is now available on Google Maps and Google Earth. Incredible virtual tours of some of Canada's spectacular northern national parks are now directly accessible for Canadians and others abroad to explore, appreciate and plan trips to witness nature's wonder.

New panoramic images are now available for Auyuittuq National Park, Ivvavik National Park, Torngat Mountains National Park, Tuktut Nogait National Park and Wood Buffalo National Park. This initiative is the fruit of a collaborative, nationwide initiative between Parks Canada and Google to bring Street View imagery to Canada's treasured natural and cultural sites.

With the click of a mouse button or the tap of a touch screen, virtual visitors can marvel at the sweeping glaciers and majestic fiords in Auyuittuq, discover the British Mountains and the Firth River Valley in Ivvavik, and immerse themselves in Tuktut Nogait's stunning canyons and waterfalls along the rugged Brock River. They can also see the spectacular towering peaks of the Torngat Mountains, and appreciate the grandeur of Canada's only salt plains and take a virtual stroll in the historic Sweetgrass bison corrals of Wood Buffalo National Park – Canada's largest national park.

Since starting to work together in 2013, Parks Canada and Google have documented highlights from most of Parks Canada's places in the south and they plan to continue the work this summer adding more to the collection, helping Canadians and the world to connect to our country's majestic protected areas.

Quick Facts

• Key Parks Canada team members were trained by Google to collect Street View images using specialized equipment, like the Street View Trekker, allowing for imagery collection in northern and remote national parks.
• Some of the imagery displayed for Ivvavik National Park looks as bright and sunny as midday, but was collected as late as 11 p.m., demonstrating how different the cycles of day and night are in the far north.
• Auyuittuq National Park images were gathered primarily from the water. The Street View Trekker was positioned on a boat which sailed along the park's coastline.
• Parks Canada manages a nationwide network of 167 national historic sites, 44 national parks and four national marine conservation areas that make up the rich tapestry of Canada's cultural and natural heritage.

Quotes

"Our Government is committed to promoting and protecting our rich natural heritage. Thanks to this collaboration with Google, we can showcase Canada's amazing northern national parks and inspire people to visit and personally connect with these beautiful national treasures. I invite Canadians to visit Google Maps and discover the North's spectacular scenery, unique wildlife and pristine wilderness – Canada as they have never seen it before."

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq,
Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

"Parks Canada's northern parks are some of the most incredible and remote places on earth. We are of proud to be able to showcase this spectacular landscape and share with a global audience this important part of Canadian culture."

Aaron Brindle, Google Canada Spokesperson

Associated Links

Websites:           
Explore Canada's natural and historic treasures with Street View for Google Maps
Google Street View
Google Canada Blog

News Releases:
Parks Canada Sites in the North Coming to Google Maps
Parks Canada on Google Maps
Parks Canada Partners with Google to Bring Canada's Treasured Places to Your Home

SOURCE Parks Canada

Image with caption: "The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, using the Google Trekker to capture images in the Wood Buffalo National Park. (CNW Group/Parks Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150430_C4385_PHOTO_EN_15949.jpg

Jonathan Lefebvre, Office of the Minister of the Environment, 819-997-1441; Media Relations, Parks Canada, 1-855-862-1812, www.twitter.com/parkscanada