Parks Canada, the world's first national park service, is established as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the Interior.

Parks Canada is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 37 National Parks, three National Marine Conservation Areas, 172 National Historic Sites, one National Urban Park (Rouge), and one National Landmark (Pingo). It also manages 11 proposed national park areas. Parks Canada is mandated to "protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations".

A national park is a nature park designated for conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protected and owned by a government. Although governments hold different standards for national park designation, the conservation of 'wild nature' for posterity and as a symbol of national pride is a common motivation for the continued protection of all national parks around the world. National parks are almost always accessible to the public. Usually national parks are developed, owned and managed by national governments, though in some countries with federal or devolved forms of government, "national parks" may be the responsibility of subnational, regional, or local authorities.