Ottawa unveils $3.8B plan to expand protected areas

By Ian MacKay

The federal government has unveiled a $3.8-billion plan aimed at better protecting nature across the country.

The strategy, titled “A Force of Nature: Canada’s Strategy to Protect Nature,” also emphasizes what officials describe as building Canada responsibly while placing greater value on natural assets and attracting investment.

Key elements include expanding protected areas on land and water through growth in the national parks network, along with recognizing what the government calls “working landscapes” and other conservation measures.

A federal statement described nature as central to Canada’s identity, citing forests, lakes, rivers, prairies, mountains, tundra and oceans as vital to sovereignty, the economy and overall quality of life.

At the same time, officials point to increasing pressure from climate change, urban development and biodiversity loss. The government has set a target of conserving 30 per cent of Canada’s land and water by 2030.

Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin said the plan will rely on partnerships with Indigenous, provincial and territorial governments, as well as other stakeholders, to expand protected areas, accelerate conservation efforts and restore ecosystems.

Federal figures indicate Canada contains about 24 per cent of the world’s boreal forest, 37 per cent of its lakes and a quarter of its wetlands, supporting roughly 80,000 species.

The government directly manages about six per cent of the country’s land base, with 4.7 per cent already under protection.