Built by community.
Defined by place.
The Great Coastal Trail exists to honour those who walked before us, to serve the communities who live alongside it today, and to create opportunity for those yet to come. It is built with respect for land and sea, shaped by local knowledge, and strengthened through collaboration.
The Great Coastal Trail
The Great Coastal Trail is more than a path. It is a relationship between land, community, and future generations. Guided by stewardship, cultural integrity, and collaboration, the trail honours the past while creating sustainable opportunity, ensuring this coastline remains lived-in, loved, and alive.
A living coastal trail that reconnects people to place, revitalizes rural communities, and ensures the Great Northern Peninsula thrives for generations to come.
Strengthening rural economies, preserving cultural and natural heritage, and empowering communities through sustainable tourism, partnership, and place-based development.
We are Coastal People
Here on the Great Northern Peninsula, the sea is our teacher. It has always been. It teaches resilience in the way we mend nets, rebuild wharves, and start again after the storms. It teaches patience; in the way fog rolls in without apology and reminds us that not everything can be hurried. And it teaches unity, because no one survives long out here without it.
The power of community: when one town builds, the next believes. When one voice rises, the others echo. When one trail opens, the coast breathes again
We are coastal people. We’ve weathered economic shifts, outmigration, storms, and silence. And still we are here. Because resilience here is not about resistance alone. It’s about remembering that strength is not found in standing alone but in standing together village to village, harbour to harbour, story to story.
▸ The Coastal Current
▸ Built History and Cultural History
▸ Local Knowledge
▸ Storytelling Nights
Great Coastal Trail
Development Principles
Stewardship Before Ownership
We do not claim the land—we care for it. All trail development prioritizes long-term environmental health, climate awareness, and respect for land and sea as living systems.Community-Led by Design
Communities are not stakeholders on the margins; they are partners at the centre. Local voices, lived experience, and regional knowledge inform planning, development, and stewardship of the trail.Honour the Past, Build the Future
We recognize that today’s pathways are built upon generations of knowledge, labour, and resilience. The trail protects cultural heritage while creating meaningful opportunity for future generations.Prosperity Without Exploitation
Economic development must strengthen communities, not overwhelm them. The trail supports local business, social enterprise, youth employment, and long-term rural viability rooted in place.
Collaboration Over Silos
Enduring impact requires shared effort. We work across municipalities, Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, academia, and industry, valuing transparency, trust, and mutual respect.Integrity in Action
We lead with accountability, clarity, and ethical governance. Decisions are made openly, responsibly, and in alignment with public trust.Access with Respect
The trail is meant to be experienced, but never at the expense of land, wildlife, or community well-being. Access is balanced with care, safety, and local context.Innovation Rooted in Place
We welcome modern tools, research, and innovation, when they serve the land, reflect community values, and strengthen resilience rather than replace tradition.
Great Coastal Team
Erika Pardy
Executive
Director
Erika Pardy is the Executive Director of the Great Coastal Trail Authority and a dynamic leader with deep roots in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Born in Labrador, raised on Fogo Island, and with strong family ties in Twillingate, she understands firsthand the realities, resilience, and challenges facing coastal and rural communities. That lived experience shapes her commitment to creating meaningful opportunity and long-term prosperity for the regions she serves.
Trail Design &
Development Specialist
Melissa Mills brings a deep-rooted connection to Newfoundland’s landscapes and a passion for environmental stewardship to her role. Growing up in Central Newfoundland, surrounded by forest and the mighty Exploits River, she developed a profound appreciation for the natural world. The red, iron-rich sandstone, the annual migration of Atlantic Salmon, the songbirds at her backyard feeder, and the rhythm of the seasons sparked an early curiosity about the land, its ecosystems, and the science that sustains them.
Melissa Mills
Project Manager
Trails & Community Development
Lucas brings a deep-rooted appreciation for Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula and a multidisciplinary background in environmental planning, community engagement, and applied sustainability. Having made Western Newfoundland his home for several years, Lucas developed a strong connection to the region’s rugged landscapes, resilient communities, and untapped economic potential.
Lucas Garcia
Community Consultations
The Great Coastal Trail Authority is conducting council and community consultations across the Great Northern Peninsula to gather local input, ideas, and stories that will help shape the design, development, and long-term vision of the Great Coastal Trail.
