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DEH CHO - The Nahanni National Park Reserve took an important step toward expansion on June 9.

Jim Prentice, Canada's environment minister and minister responsible for Parks Canada, tabled legislation to expand the park's boundaries to cover approximately 30,000 square kilometres. The expansion will increase the park to six times its current size, which is 4,766 square km, making it the third-largest national park in Canada.

"Nahanni is one of the crown jewels of our incredible system of national parks, and it is with pride that I take part in the greatest conservation achievement in a generation," Prentice said in a press release.

Prentice said using the Canada National Parks Act to protect the area is a "gift to future generations."

The expansion, which will make the park almost the size of Vancouver Island, will protect approximately 91 per cent of the greater Nahanni ecosystem in the Deh Cho region. The expanded park will include many of the South Nahanni River's tributaries and the Nahanni North karst, unique landforms created by the erosion and dissolution of limestone.

News of the expansion was well received in Nahanni Butte, the community closest to the park.

"I'm really happy we're moving ahead with this," said Chief Fred Tesou of the Nahanni Butte Dene Band.

"This is really good news for Nahanni."

Although Tesou was unable to attend, five other members of the community traveled to Ottawa to be part of the announcement. The Nahanni Butte delegation included Darrell Betsaka, Peter Marcellais and George Tsetso, who all worked on the consensus team for the park expansion, as well as Anna Tsetso and Elder Leon Konisenta.

Protecting the land by expanding the boundary is very important, said Tesou. Tesou said he expects the expanded park to bring a number of benefits to Nahanni Butte including opportunities for youth to work with Parks Canada and increased tourism.

Dennis Bevington, member of parliament for Western Arctic, was also pleased with the announcement.

"I think the park boundary is one that's going to make a big difference for the future," said Bevington, who attended the announcement.

The expansion allows the park evolve from its original purpose of protecting the South Nahanni River to protecting the whole ecosystem. The move provides certainty for the region and for the Dehcho Land Use Plan, the MP said.

"A lot of credit lies with the people of the Deh Cho and their willingness to work with Canada on it," Bevington said.

The Arctic MP did add one provision to his enthusiasm. He said he will continue to lobby the federal government to move ahead with a co-management agreement to ensure people in the region will benefit from business opportunities related to the park, and take part in its management.

The co-management agreement will affect the future benefits Deh Cho residents will receive from the park, he said.

The legislation for the park still has to be passed before the boundary is official. Bevington said he heard in parliament that people are supportive of the legislation and won't stand in its way.

"I think it will move ahead pretty quickly. There will be questions of course," he said.

Committee hearings will provide a chance to raise questions on the record about how the expanded park will affect the Deh Cho, he said.