Canada invests $796 million to collaborate with provinces, territories, and other partners to protect nature across the country

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 13, 2021 /CNW/ - Protecting more nature is an essential part of addressing biodiversity loss and fighting climate change. Here in Canada, working in collaboration with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and other partners is critical to protect and conserve Canada's nature and to recover Canada's species at risk.

Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced as part of the Enhanced Nature Legacy up to $796 million in funding to support provinces and territories and other partners' actions to recover species at risk and protect and conserve lands and freshwater.

This investment includes up to $210 million over five years to support interested provinces and territories to develop bilateral nature agreements with the federal government, $209 million to protect priority ecosystems, and $377 million to support recovery actions for priority species such as boreal caribou, Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon. 

Bilateral nature agreements will be collaboratively developed with provinces and territories to advance our shared interests in a more integrated approach to conserving nature, establish more protected areas, protect and recover species at risk and their habitat, while at the same time advancing Indigenous reconciliation. The agreements will also help support a green recovery by ensuring the coordinated delivery of nature-based solutions to climate change.

Collaboration will be necessary to achieve the changes we need for nature. It is by working closely together with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and communities, industry, not-for-profit, philanthropic and other stakeholders that we will succeed in protecting nature and build stronger communities.

Today's announcement is a fundamental feature of Budget 2021's commitment to invest an additional $2.3 billion over five years in Canada's Enhanced Nature Legacy to continue supporting nature conservation measures across the country, including Indigenous leadership in conservation.

Quotes

"To address the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change, we must all work together—provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and the federal government—to protect and conserve more nature. Budget 2021's historic $2.3 billion investment in nature conservation includes $796 million to work with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous peoples, and other partners to do just that, including through the establishment of new bilateral nature agreements. By working together to protect nature across the country, we are ensuring a cleaner, healthier future for our children and grandchildren."
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

"Protecting and recovering aquatic species at risk is critical to maintaining Canada's biodiversity and healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems. The funding announced today includes an investment of $173 million over five years to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the largest investment allocated to aquatic species at risk to date. Most importantly, it will leverage the expertise of Indigenous, provincial, and territorial partners and support other collaborators across Canada to take in-the-water action to protect and recover the aquatic species at risk that Canadians hold dear."
– The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Quick facts

• Globally, Canada is home to 20 percent of the world's freshwater, 24 percent of wetlands, 25 percent of temperate rainforest area and 33 percent of the remaining boreal forest.
• Canada is committed to protecting 25 percent of lands and 25 percent of oceans by 2025 and 30 percent of each by 2030. The protection and recovery of species at risk is an important responsibility shared by federal, provincial, and territorial governments requiring a collaborative approach across jurisdictions.
• The Canada Nature Fund enables significant, targeted investments and enhanced partnerships to drive improved protection and recovery for a large number of species at risk throughout the country, as agreed to in the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada.
• Support for the recovery and protection of aquatic species at risk is being provided by enabling multi-species, place-based, and threat-based approaches to recovery through the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk. This fund aims to support efforts to reduce entanglements with fishing gear, better address issues related to bycatch, restore natural habitats, and protect iconic, at-risk Atlantic salmon, Pacific salmon, and North Atlantic right whales—alongside continued support for all aquatic species at risk.

Associated links

• The Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada