First pick
Wilson Park
Park or garden
19 ha2.8 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
0.6 km westfrom the centre
Wilson Park Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: JFVoll · CC BY-SA 4.02.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Vanier · parks, protected land & trails
Within 10 km of Vanier: 20 public protected areas
For walks, the Grand Valley Trail runs within 2 km. No national park lies within 100 km. Biggest among them: Huron Natural Area, 96 ha, 2.7 km off.
Protected land
2.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
22
within 10 km, 20 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
48 km
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Vanier stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Many protected areas20 public areas within 10 kmParks are a drive awayThe nearest provincial park, Trillium Woods Provincial Park, is 48 km off
For someone who likes to get outside, Vanier’s draw is the number of public protected areas close by. What it lacks is a big park within easy reach.
Against other towns
How Vanier compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km2.6%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas20Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Vanier ranks 19th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (15,338 to 16,036 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Vanier2.6%
Towns its size2%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Vanier20
Towns its size7
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Vanier1
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Vanier does best for public protected areas: 5 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Les Golfs QC | 17% | 18% | 40 | 4 | 13 |
| 2 | Mercier QC | 15% | 0% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gaspé QC | 13% | 21% | 41 | 13 | 51 |
| 4 | Ledbury-Heron Gate-Ridgemont ON | 12% | 0% | 34 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Lavaltrie QC | 9.9% | 0.3% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Severn ON | 9.6% | 1.1% | 52 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | Brookside - Briarbrook - Morgans Grant ON | 8.1% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Vieux-Longueuil QC | 6.4% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | Lougheed BC | 5.6% | 0% | 53 | 2 | 49 |
| 10 | Saint-François QC | 5.4% | 1% | 56 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Vieux-Moulin QC | 4.7% | 0.1% | 20 | 0 | 6 |
| 12 | Jésuites QC | 4.6% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 6 |
| 13 | Parksville BC | 4.4% | 13% | 24 | 0 | 11 |
| 14 | Saint-Louis QC | 4.3% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 4 |
| 15 | Vallée-de-la-Lièvre QC | 4.3% | 16% | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Downtown ON | 3.6% | 2.8% | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | Lachute QC | 3.5% | 0.9% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | François-Perrault QC | 2.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Vanier ON | 2.6% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Trinity-Bellwoods ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 7 | 24 |
| 21 | North Toronto ON | 1.9% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 22 | Little Portugal ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 20 |
| 23 | Newtonbrook East ON | 1.8% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | East Willowdale ON | 1.7% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Parc-Jarry QC | 1.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Comox BC | 1.4% | 2.6% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | Lansing-Westgate ON | 1.3% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Loretteville QC | 1.1% | 0% | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| 29 | Pembroke ON | 1% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 30 | Kenora ON | 1% | 0% | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| 31 | Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines QC | 0.7% | 0.1% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Dorchester ON | 0.6% | 1% | 17 | 2 | 2 |
| 33 | High River AB | 0.6% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Corunna ON | 0.4% | 1% | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| 35 | Thorncliffe AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Edenbridge-Humber Valley ON | 0.2% | 2.1% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 37 | South Windsor ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Sheridan ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | East Riverside ON | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 40 | Edgemont AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
The map
Where the green is in Vanier
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
11 named parks and woods to walk in near Vanier
Largest first: Wilson Park leads with 19 ha. Numbers match the map.
11 named parks and woods, 45 ha in all
Parks & gardens 45 ha
Between them, Wilson Park and Peter Hallman Ball Yard cover 64%.
Peter Hallman Ball Yard
Park or garden · 160 m outside town
10 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
1.4 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Greenway
Park or garden
3.0 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
0.8 km southfrom the centre
Wilson/Traynor Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Montgomery Park
Park or garden · 320 m outside town
3.8 ha
1.6 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Rockway Gardens
Park or garden
3.1 ha0.3 km of path
1.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Prospect Park
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
1.6 ha0.4 km of path
1.3 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Shoemaker Park
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
1.4 ha0.2 km of path
2.8 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Traynor Park
Park or garden
0.9 ha0.4 km of path
0.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Wilson/Traynor Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 11 named parks and green spaces
Wilson ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 2.8 km of path
DirectionsPeter Hallman Ball YardPark or garden · 10 ha · 1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGreenwayPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsMontgomery ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsRockway GardensPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsProspect ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsShoemaker ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTraynor ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsVanier ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGreenfield ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsDixon GreenPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
In Vanier, a park is close to every home
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Vanier100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town manages 83%, so this is better.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Vanier, 2.6% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Vanier0%
Within 10 km2.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
On public land: 20 of the 22. The others are private conservation land. Huron Natural Area leads for size with 96 ha. Another 2 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
Idlewood ParkNature reserve · 48 ha · 0.8 km from the edge of town
Steckle WoodsNature reserve · 30 ha · 1.2 km from the edge of town
Homer Watson ParkNature reserve · 60 ha · 1.4 km from the edge of town
Lakeside ParkNature reserve · 9.2 ha · 1.4 km from the edge of town
Springmount Park - Idlewood CreekNature reserve · 27 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
Briarfield ParkNature reserve · 3.3 ha · 1.9 km from the edge of town
Grand River Natural Area - Sims EstateNature reserve · 12 ha · 2.3 km from the edge of town
Lackner WoodsNature reserve · 31 ha · 2.5 km from the edge of town
Huron Natural AreaNature reserve · 96 ha · 2.7 km from the edge of town
Natchez WoodsNature reserve · 23 ha · 2.9 km from the edge of town
10 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 48 km off
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
48 km south-west0.1 km²since 1969
Canada’s national parks are all more than 100 km from Vanier, so the parks here are provincial.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
45 km of paths in and around Vanier
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
45 km
in and around the town (17.1 km²)
Woodland
5.9%
about 1 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
VanierTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.6
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
VanierTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland5.9%
0%50%100%
Paths are denser here than in 67% of Canadian towns. For woods, 58% of Canadian towns have more.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
1 walking route near Vanier
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Regional
Grand Valley Trail218.5 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Vanier is best on foot in May, June, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Kitchener/Waterloo (6.7 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°C) | -2 | -1 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 66 | 46 | 57 | 81 | 80 | 81 | 96 | 67 | 75 | 71 | 75 | 55 |
January brings highs of -2 °C, July highs of 27 °C. July brings both the warmest days and the most rain (96 mm); February is driest (46 mm). The climate in Vanier →
Things to do
113 things to do outdoors near Vanier
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The tallest named summit close by is Mount Trashmore (370 m). The map shows 96 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Mount Trashmore370 m · 1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 11
Balzer Greenway Natural Area0.5 km from town
DirectionsBalzer Greenway0.8 km from town
DirectionsFallowfield Park1.0 km from town
DirectionsIdlewood Park Natural Area1.3 km from town
DirectionsStrasburg Woods1.4 km from town
DirectionsSteckle Woods1.5 km from town
DirectionsStanley Park Conservation Area1.6 km from town
DirectionsHidden Valley Crescent Natural Area1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 nature reserves more.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 96
McDonald's PlayPlacein town
Directionsdigger sand pit1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 94 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Vanier
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Trillium Industrial ParkCentreville ChicopeeStanley ParkCountry HillsAlpineIdlewoodVanier
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanier | 2.6% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Trillium Industrial Park 1.3 km | 2.2% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| Centreville Chicopee 1.8 km | 2.5% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Stanley Park 1.9 km | 2.5% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Country Hills 2.3 km | 2.6% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Alpine 2.4 km | 2.1% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Idlewood 2.8 km | 2.8% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
For protected land, no neighbour of Vanier doubles its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Private land. Land owned by individuals, companies or conservation groups counts toward the figures but is never named: a person’s land isn’t a place to visit.
Questions about the outdoors in Vanier
What walking routes are near Vanier?
The Grand Valley Trail, mapped within 2 km.
What is the nearest national park to Vanier?
No national park lies within 100 km of Vanier.
Is there protected land near Vanier?
Within 10 km, 2.6% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest provincial park to Vanier?
Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 48 km away.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Vanier?
May, June, August and September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Which is the biggest protected area near Vanier?
Huron Natural Area, a nature reserve of 96 ha.
Sources
Where Vanier’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).