Statement: Nature Benched in Budget 2025

Group of caribou in the grass on a hill in Alaska. — Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are at risk of extinction across Canada. Photo by Ian.

Economy | Government and Policy

Sandra Schwartz | November 5, 2025

Canadian Government Strikes Out on Conservation Funding as Nature Crisis Deepens

The Prime Minister loves a good sports metaphor, so let’s speak his language. When it comes to protecting nature, Canada is at the plate with a full count, two outs, and the bases loaded. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

The moment demands a game-winning swing for nature. Instead, Budget 2025 falls short of the bold action Canadians were promised mere months ago. In April, PM Carney declared we are in a “time of crisis” needing “bold new approaches to protect Canada’s natural heritage and defend it for future generations.” Today, his government has dropped the bat entirely, putting our essential ecosystems at risk.

In a year when generational investment was expected, Budget 2025 is a stunning letdown, with concerning cuts in key departments like Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada that will jeopardize any nature protection progress. It fails to mention nature at all: no renewal of the Enhanced Nature Legacy or Marine Conservation Target funding, no support for Indigenous-led conservation or guardian programs, and no plan to establish new National Parks.

This isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s a glaring abandonment of Canada’s environmental promises and a betrayal of public trust. Polls show that people support development, but not at the expense of nature. They expect a balanced approach, and this budget fails to deliver it.

Nature can’t be protected without long-term investment. Years of collaboration, research and building trust are needed to plan protected areas. Without consistent federal funding, projects are faced with disruptive interruptions and can come to an abrupt stop altogether. If the Carney government doesn’t act fast, it risks wasting years of hard work, contradicting its own supposed-values and shirking its commitments to protect nature.

Budget 2025 clings to an outdated narrative that frames nature as an obstacle to progress. Nature is the backbone of our economy, our health and our security. As Canada embraces the opportunity provided by “nation-building projects”, the path to economic security and stability also needs to safeguard the natural systems that underpin our long-term prosperity.

In a time of economic uncertainty, overlooking nature as a strategic asset is not just a policy failure, it’s a national risk that can lead to devastating generational consequences. Wetlands, forests, and healthy coastlines are more than tourist destinations, they are critical infrastructure. They filter our water, reduce flood risks, and help prevent wildfires. When funding for nature dries up, it’s not just conservation that suffers — it’s public health, food security, livelihoods, and long-term economic stability.

By integrating nature protection into our resource strategy, Canada can build a future where economic growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand, by:

Renewing nature funding to protect our natural assets and make biodiversity conservation a core part of decision-making.
Embedding natural capital accounting into our economic framework before the costs of inaction become irreversible.
Respecting Indigenous rights and leadership, with full funding for Indigenous Guardians and meaningful Indigenous engagement and public participation in planning.

As a dedicated member of the Green Budget Coalition, CPAWS has met with numerous government officials, consistently providing clear recommendations to ensure biodiversity and environmental priorities are reflected in policy decisions. And yet, these discussions are largely absent in Budget 2025.

It’s time for the government to step up to the plate—with conviction and a concrete strategy that invests in nature. Our future depends on it.

Sandra Schwartz
National Executive Director,
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society