On International Trails Day, the GCTA and the Great Northern Trail Association co‑hosted a milestone celebration and fundraising event featuring daytime race events on the Great Northern Trail and an evening program with partners and community members.

GCTA’s Executive Director, Erika Pardy, and Trail Design & Development Specialist, Melissa Mills, were invited by the Wales Coast Path team for a technical visit, gaining first‑hand insight into how a mature national coastal trail is planned, managed, and maintained.

Melissa Mills, GCTA’s Trail Design and Development Specialist, attended the Professional Trail Builders Association Sustainable Trails Conference in Boise, Idaho, USA.

Through the spring of 2026, GCTA continued council and community consultations in three regional clusters across the Great Northern Peninsula, deepening local engagement and ground‑truthing existing trails.

The GCTA deepened collaboration with municipal leaders in River of Ponds, Port au Choix, Port Saunders, and Hawke’s Bay to advance the Great Coastal Trail through this critical coastal connector region.

GCTA formalized collaboration with the Great Northern Trail Association to align existing GNTA trail infrastructure with the emerging Great Coastal Trail network.

In January 2026, the GCTA formalized a partnership with White Bay Central Development Inc. to serve as the regional development partner for the northern terminus of the Great Coastal Trail, representing Roddickton-Bide Arm, Main Brook, Croque, Crouse, Conche, and Englee.

The GCTA launched The Coastal Current, a bimonthly newsletter offering behind‑the‑scenes updates on trail development, milestones, and upcoming community consultations along the Great Northern Peninsula.

The Great Coastal Trail Authority hosted the inaugural Atlantic Canada Trails Conference in Rocky Harbour, bringing together more than 70 participants from across Atlantic Canada, including communities, government partners, Indigenous leaders, trail builders, entrepreneurs, and environmental organizations.

The GCTA began scheduling council and community consultations across the Great Northern Peninsula to help shape the design, development, and long‑term vision of the 1000km Great Coastal Trail.

Between September and October of 2025, formal partnerships were created between the GCTA, Main Brook Research and Development, and NewfoundSAND.

The Great Coastal Trail Authority (GCTA) is a non-profit organization leading the planning, development, and long-term stewardship of the Great Coastal Trail in Newfoundland & Labrador. Our work focuses on building a world-class trail network that supports community revitalization, economic development, cultural preservation, wellness, and environmental stewardship.