Canada has 5 UNESCO Geoparks
The Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark is not like them.
At 48,000 square kilometers, it is 6.1 times larger than Canada’s largest geopark, and 86.5 times larger than Canada’s smallest geopark. With a planned 100+ geosites, it will have 3.6 times more sites than Canada’s largest geopark, and 9.1 times more sites than Canada’s smallest geopark.
| Location | Geopark Name | Square Kilometers | Number of Geosites |
| Nova Scotia | Cliffs of Fundy UNESCO Global Geopark | 1,150 | 28 |
| Newfoundland /Labrador | Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark | 1,150 | 11 |
| Gaspé Québec | Percé UNESCO Global Geopark | 555 | 23 |
| Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick | Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark | 2,500 | 12 |
| British Columbia | Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark | 7,822 | 26 |
Does the size of the Georgian Bay Geopark relative to the existing five geoparks strike you as inconsistent with other geoparks? Do you think 48,000 square kilometers spanning four dramatically different coastlines could be a single unified area?
You might want to check out our assessment about whether it actually meets the four fundamentals of geoparks.
The Georgian Bay Geopark Can No Longer Call Itself an Aspiring Geopark
In January 2026, the Canadian Geopark Network (CGN) reclassified the Georgian Bay Geopark project from “Aspiring Geopark” to “Other Projects”, and listed them under “Potential Geoparks”. The removal of the “aspiring” status is a correction from what had been permitted earlier. In a July interview with Parry Sound North Star, David Schimpky, Director Secretariat for…
The Four Fundamentals of Geoparks
These are the fundamental requirements as published on the UNESCO website. Any italicized content predicated with “Our Assessment:” is not published by UNESCO. 1. Geological heritage of international value In order to become a UNESCO Global Geopark, the area must have geological heritage of international value. This is assessed by scientific professionals, as part of the…
Parks Canada’s Ability to Transport Visitors to and from Beausoleil Island Cannot Keep Up with Demand.
In 2022, Parks Canada released a report titled Georgian Bay Islands National Park of Canada and Beausoleil Island National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan You can access the full report here. The following are excerpts from the report: Established in 1929, Georgian Bay Islands National Park is Canada’s smallest national park, consisting of 50…
It Sure Doesn’t Smell Like Roses: Overtourism and Human Waste at Flowerpot Island
In 2021, Parks Canada released a report titled 2021 – 2026 Visitor Use Management – Flowerpot Island. You can access the full report here. The following are excerpts: Between 2010 and 2017, the number of annual visitors increased from 24,432 to 123,849, a +407% increase in just seven years. One-third of visitors report feeling crowded…
