CPAWS celebrates “historic investment” in nature conservation in Federal Budget 2018
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – CPAWS applauds today’s announcement of $1.3 billion dollars of new federal funding over five years to protect Canada’s land, ocean, and wildlife. This unprecedented investment will support Canada’s efforts to achieve its commitment to protect at least 17% of our land and 10% of our ocean by 2020, delivering on the Prime Minister’s promise that Canada will achieve and substantially exceed this target in the coming years.
“Today’s significant federal investment in protecting our land and marine ecosystems could be a game-changer for nature conservation in Canada,” said Alison Woodley, CPAWS National Conservation Director. “Budget 2018 recognizes the scale of the biodiversity crisis we face and the importance of supporting the efforts of all levels of government, civil society, and other partners in conservation efforts moving forward.”
For the first time, the federal budget allocates funding for federal government action on nature conservation as well as to support conservation efforts by Indigenous governments, provinces, territories, and other partners. This cost-shared model is similar to the approach used to deliver on other shared priorities in Canada such as infrastructure, climate change mitigation, and health care.
Highlights of federal Budget 2018 conservation investments include:
• $500 million over five years for a new $1 Billion “Nature Fund” to support conservation partnerships and which will leverage funding from other government and non-governmental sources;
• $800 million over five years to support:
- New federal protected areas
- Increased capacity for national park management
- Increased capacity to protect species at risk
- Funding to establish a coordinated network of conservation areas working with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners.