The mechanism responsible for determining environmental impacts is the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Under the Act, impacts on the environment are to be kept to a minimum, while cumulative effects are to be eliminated. Environmental assessment does not represent the lone avenue of environmental protection in a national park setting. Internal park policies, combined with initiatives from the National Parks Act dictate how development inside national parks is to proceed. A determination of environmental impact assessment effectiveness, with regard to cumulative environmental impacts, is arrived at by evaluating completed environmental impact assessments. These documents are examined for the presence of monitoring programs that are able to minimize cumulative effects. Recommendations are given on how the environmental assessment process can be changed to provide greater environmental protection in a national park setting.