Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the federal government will more than double its initial contribution to Rouge Park in Pickereing.

In a campaign style visit to Pickering Harper announced that 21 square kilometres are being added to the park in Pickering and the township of Uxbridge.

He says the new lands will increase the park’s boundaries by 36 per cent, to 79.5 square kilometres once fully established, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America 19 times larger than Stanley Park in Vancouver and 22 times larger than Central Park in New York City.

The new area include forests, meadows, streams, creeks, important archaeological sites and large tracts of farmland.

The government announced its intention to create the park, the first urban national park in Canada in 2011.

Legislation creating the park was passed in the House of Commons this past January, received royal assent in April and came into force in May.