Parks Canada has one strategic outcome as follows: Canadians have a strong sense of connection, through meaningful experiences, to their national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas and these protected places are enjoyed in ways that leave them unimpaired for present and future generations. Linked to this strategic outcome are six program activities and their related sub and sub sub activities.

Program Activity 1: Heritage Places Establishment. Included are: National Park Establishment and Expansion, National Historic Site Designations, National Marine Conservation Area Establishment, Other Heritage Places Designations.

Program Activity 2: Heritage Resources Conservation. Included are: National Parks Conservation, Species at Risk, National Historic Sites Conservation, National Marine Conservation Areas Sustainability, Other Heritage Places Conservation, National Historic Sites Cost-Sharing.

Program Activity 3: Public Appreciation and Understanding. Included are: Public Outreach Education and External Communications, and Stakeholder and Partner Engagement.

Program Activity 4: Visitor Experience. Included are: Market Research and Promotion, National Parks, National Historic Sites and National Marine Conservation Areas Interpretation, National Parks, National Historic Sites and National Marine Conservation Areas Visitor Service Offer,  Visitor Safety.

Program Activity 5: Townsite and Throughway Infrastructure. Included are: Townsite Management, Through Highway Management, Through Waterway Management.

Program Activity 6: Internal Services. Included are: Governance and Management Support, Management and Oversight, Communications, Legal, Resource Management Services, Human Resource Management, Financial Management, Information Management, Information Technology, Travel and Other Administrative Services, Asset Management Services, Real Property, Materiel, Acquisition. The internal services activities apply to all federal government departments and agencies.

Parks Canada is a key contributor to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy under Theme III –Protecting Nature and Theme IV – Shrinking the Environmental Footprint – Beginning with Government. Programs identified as contributing to Theme III – Protecting Nature include: National Park Establishment and Expansion, National Marine Conservation Area Establishment, Heritage Resources Conservation, National Parks Conservation, Species at Risk, National Marine Conservation Areas Sustainability, Public Appreciation and Understanding and Visitor Experience. Programs identified as contributing to Theme IV – Shrinking the Environmental Footprint – Beginning with Government include Internal Services.