About us
The Plains of Abraham are part of the Battlefields Park, which also includes the Des Braves Park. This historic urban park was the scene of the great battles of 1759 and 1760 between the French and British empires. The National Battlefields Commission, a federal governement agency, has been responsible for the conservation and enhancement of this iconic site since 1908.
A Park to Explore
As Canada’s first national historic park and a prestigious urban green space, the Plains of Abraham are a true oasis in the heart of Québec City. Together with Des Braves Park, Pierre-Dugua-de Mons Terrace and the avenues De Laune, Des Braves, Bernières and Taché, they form the Battlefields Park. Created in 1908, the park was established to preserve the site of the 1759 and 1760 battles between the French and British empires.
A Living History
A walk across the Plains offers the chance to discover four major monuments (the Wolfe Monument, the Des Braves Monument, the Cross of Sacrifice and the Joan of Arc Statue), two works by First Nations artists and more than 70 heritage features, including 50 cannons dating from the 18th to 20th centuries, busts, commemorative plaques, archaeological remains and an old well.
Six heritage buildings in addition to old greenhouses, also speak to the site’s history: the three Martello Towers, the Plains of Abraham Museum, the Louis S. St-Laurent House and 390 de Bernières.
The National Battlefields Commission
The National Battlefields Commission is a federal government agency under the portfolio of the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The Act creating the National Battlefields Commission (NBC) was passed on March 17, 1908.
Vision
With its park, which is a key location for get-togethers, the NBC is renowned for its openness and sensitivity toward all communities. Its committed and effective team has been making the NBC and all its components a source of pride and is elevating it as a respected and indispensable player in the development of Québec City, of Quebec, and of Canada.
Commitment
The Commission upholds the Government of Canada’s values of equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, justice, climate action, and truth and reconciliation.
Board of Directors
The National Battlefields Commission is governed by a board of directors that ensures sound oversight of the organization.
The commissioners who sit on the Board, including the chairperson, are appointed by the Governor in Council. They serve without remuneration, but are entitled to receive their actual disbursements for expenses legitimately incurred by them in the discharge of their powers or duties under an Act respecting the National Battlefields at Quebec.
- Jean Robert, Chairperson
- Ellen Yifan Chen, Commissioner
- Sophie Gagnon, Commissioner
- André L. Potvin, Commissioner
- Nathalie Letendre, Commissioner
- André Simard, Commissioner
- Jean Vincent, Commissioner
General Management
The general management is responsible for the overall management of the Commission’s mission and oversees human resources and institutional affairs. It is also responsible for the preservation and conservation of the archives, collections and monuments of Battlefields Park.
Its multi-skilled team takes on a wide range of duties, from historical interpretatioon to site maintenance.
James Haberlin, Acting Secretary & CEO, Chief Financial Officer
Anne Chouinard, Acting Assistant Secretary & CEO, Assistant Director, Institutional Affairs
Katherine Laflamme, Marketing & Development Director
Nathalie Rhéaume, Operations and Sustainable Development Director
Stéphane Roy, Museum Services Director
Activity Report
Plans, Reports and Policies
The plans, reports, and policies are available on the National Battlefields Commission's institutional website.
