The upcoming nature protection strategy by the Carney government is causing concern among advocacy groups as there may not be additional funding attached. Billions of federal dollars allocated for conservation are set to expire by the end of March, risking Canada’s ability to meet its 2030 conservation goals. Despite previous investments in biodiversity projects, national nature groups have not received guarantees of continued long-term funding, prompting worries about the sustainability of federal nature funding.
Sandra Schwartz, the national executive director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, expressed disappointment in the lack of visible results from the government’s purported commitment to nature. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decisions to halt the consumer carbon tax, weaken oil and gas emissions regulations, abandon tree-planting pledges, and end EV sales mandates have raised concerns about the continuity of federal nature funding.
A recent report on wild species indicates that over 2,000 plants, insects, and mammals in Canada face a high risk of extinction, with more than 100 unique species, such as the Vancouver Island marmot, at risk of disappearing. The crisis facing Canadian nature and global biodiversity is alarming, with extinction rates not seen since the era of dinosaurs due to human activities.
Funding for projects aimed at preserving and restoring species is nearing expiration, including the $2.3 billion enhanced nature legacy program scheduled to end on March 31. Reports suggest a significant decline in conservation funding from the federal budget, with no mention of renewing the fund. The government previously allocated nearly $1 billion over five years for marine conservation in the 2021 budget.
The government is poised to unveil a nature strategy to protect nature, focusing on attracting private and philanthropic capital to support conservation efforts. An example on the West Coast, the Great Bear Rainforest conservation initiative in British Columbia, showcases a successful model of pooling public and private funds for long-term conservation. Through initiatives like project finance for permanence and green bond programs, the government aims to leverage various tools to stimulate nature-focused investments.
Critics raise concerns about relying too heavily on private investors for nature conservation, emphasizing the essential role of public funding in protecting the environment. As conservation groups anticipate the new nature strategy, questions arise about the necessity of another strategy given the existing roadmap released by the Trudeau government. While Canada has set ambitious conservation targets for 2030, the current protected areas fall short of the designated percentages for land and marine conservation. Canada’s vast natural resources underscore the importance of effective conservation efforts to safeguard its unique biodiversity and ecosystems.