Beyond the proposed Rouge national urban park, our government has committed to increase the amount of protected lands. Since 2006 we have added over 61,000 square kilometres to the network of federal protected areas, an area that's nearly twice the size of Vancouver Island.
This includes the expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve by over 25,000 square kilometres and a designation of 10 new sites. Also, recently our government was very proud to announce that it designated and protected the Ukkusiksalik National Park in Nunavut.
We also recently tabled a bill to establish Canada's 44th national park, the Nááts'ihch'oh national park reserve in the Northwest Territories. The bill will protect and preserve nearly 4,900 square kilometres of land directly adjoining the Nahanni National Park Reserve. Together, the Nahanni and Nááts'ihch'oh national park reserves will protect 86% of the entire southern Nahanni watershed, and I hope that members of this committee will support the passage of this bill so we can build on a strong legacy of protecting our historic and natural heritage.
We're also working with Newfoundland and Labrador and several aboriginal groups to establish a national park reserve in the Mealy Mountains of Labrador.