March 27, 2013 Thousand Islands National Park Renamed (Bill C-370) 2013

On March 27, 2013, you witnessed history when Bill C-370 received Royal Assent, officially renaming St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada to Thousand Islands National Park of Canada. Parliament recorded the change as S.C. 2013, c. 2, finally matching the park's legal identity to the name Canadians had always used. The vote shift from 184–98 at second reading to 287–1 at third reading showed remarkable cross-party agreement — and there's plenty more to uncover about how this rename unfolded.

Key Takeaways

• Bill C-370 was a private member's bill introduced in the 41st Parliament to rename a Canadian national park.
• The bill replaced the official name "St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada" with "Thousand Islands National Park of Canada."
• Royal assent was granted on March 27, 2013, making the renaming legally official under S.C. 2013, c. 2.
• The renaming aligned the park's federal legal designation with its widely recognized public geographic identity.
• Following royal assent, Parks Canada updated its website, signage, and official materials to reflect the new name.

What Was St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada?

Before 2013, you'd have found this park listed under its original federal designation: St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada. Established along the upper St. Lawrence River, it protected a remarkable historic ecosystem shaped by the meeting of the Canadian Shield and the St. Lawrence Lowlands.

The park encompassed a scattering of islands and mainland areas rich in biodiversity, geological significance, and recreational heritage stretching back generations.

Despite its protected status and active visitor programs, most people knew the area simply as the Thousand Islands. The official federal name created an unnecessary disconnect between how Canadians identified the region and how the government recorded it.

That gap between public recognition and legal designation set the stage for the legislative correction that Bill C-370 would eventually deliver. Much like San Marino, which uses the Euro as currency despite not holding formal membership in the European Union, the park carried an official designation that didn't quite match its real-world identity and relationships.

Bill C-370: The Private Member's Bill Behind the Rename

That gap between public recognition and legal designation didn't close on its own — it took a deliberate legislative push. Bill C-370 was a private member's bill introduced during the 41st Parliament's 1st Session, and it represented a focused legislative strategy aimed at one specific correction: aligning the park's legal name with its widely recognized geographic identity.

You'll notice this wasn't a sweeping government omnibus bill. Instead, a single member advanced C-370 to amend the Canada National Parks Act, replacing "St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada" with "Thousand Islands National Park of Canada." That narrow scope actually worked in its favor. By third reading, the vote stood at 287 yeas to just 1 nay — a near-unanimous result reflecting strong cross-party agreement that the change was simply overdue. For those looking to explore the park's history and key details further, tools like a concise facts finder can surface the title, category, country, and dates associated with the renamed park in a straightforward format.

Bill C-370's Path Through Parliament in 2012

Moving through Parliament required C-370 to clear three key votes, all in 2012. You can trace the parliamentary timeline through each stage:

1. September 19, 2012 – Second reading passed 184 yeas to 98 nays.
2. After second reading – Committee debates reviewed the bill's details.
3. November 21, 2012 – Report stage concurrence passed 284 yeas to 1 nay.
4. November 28, 2012 – Third reading passed 287 yeas to 1 nay.

The near-unanimous votes at report stage and third reading show strong cross-party support.

Committee debates gave members the opportunity to scrutinize the name change before it advanced.

The Vote Numbers That Showed Cross-Party Support

The vote tallies behind Bill C-370 tell a clear story of unusually broad agreement.

At second reading, you'd notice the split: 184 yeas against 98 nays. That gap is meaningful, but the real shift came later.

At report stage, cross party dynamics took over entirely, producing 284 yeas against just 1 nay.

Third reading matched that momentum with 287 yeas and 1 nay.

When you study the voting patterns across all three stages, you can see resistance fundamentally collapsed after second reading.

No paired votes appeared in any of the recorded divisions.

What started as a moderately contested bill became nearly unanimous by the time Parliament finalized it.

The numbers don't lie — lawmakers across party lines ultimately agreed the name change made sense.

Royal Assent on March 27, 2013 Made It Official

After sailing through third reading with 287 yeas, Bill C-370 received royal assent on March 27, 2013, making the name change law. The royal assent ceremony finalized what Parliament had debated and voted on across several months. Legislative timing matters here—you'll notice the bill passed third reading in November 2012, yet the official enactment came in 2013.

Here's what the royal assent confirmed:

1. The park's legal name became Thousand Islands National Park of Canada
2. The Canada National Parks Act was formally amended
3. The statute was recorded as S.C. 2013, c. 2
4. St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada ceased to be the official name

That single ceremony transformed a parliamentary vote into binding Canadian law. Much like how overseas territories can expand a nation's geographic reach across multiple continents, a country's legal boundaries and named designations can shift dramatically through formal legislative processes.

How Parks Canada Reflects the Thousand Islands Name Today

Parks Canada now uses Thousand Islands National Park as the official name on its park page, so you won't find any trace of St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada in its current official materials. Website updates rolled out after Royal Assent replaced the old name across digital resources, giving visitors accurate information when planning trips.

Parks signage throughout the region also reflects the updated name, reinforcing the Thousand Islands identity that locals and tourists already recognized long before the legislative change. When you visit the park today, every official touchpoint — from the Parks Canada website to trailhead markers — consistently uses Thousand Islands National Park.

The 2013 renaming wasn't just a legal formality; it aligned the federal identity with the geographic reality you experience on the ground.