VANCOUVER | UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES

The David Suzuki Foundation welcomes the vision set out in Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy: Halting and Reversing Biodiversity Loss in Canada. However, the foundation emphasizes that to deliver on this vision, the strategy will need to be bolstered with robust funding and additional actions by all levels of government.

In response to the strategy, Jay Ritchlin, David Suzuki Foundation director general of B.C. and western region, said:

“This strategy solidifies Canada’s vision for protecting and restoring nature and wildlife, but we’re still racing to the starting line. We need to see this vision translated into action.

“As it stands, the strategy falls short of the transformational change required to halt and reverse biodiversity loss in Canada. For example, it continues to advance industrial forestry as sustainable without acknowledging its significant biodiversity impacts. Furthermore, many crucial actions — like including ecological information in fisheries management — are listed only as ‘additional opportunities’ that may be explored. All actions require clear timelines and funding commitments by the end of the year. And while we are encouraged to see the federal government’s commitment to consider effects on biodiversity in its decision-making, all levels of government need to not only consider but prioritize the health of Canada’s ecosystems.”

Federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault unveiled the Strategy today along with proposed legislation, the Nature Accountability Act (Bill C-73).

In response to the Nature Accountability Act, Ritchlin said:

“The Nature Accountability Act is a step towards the legislative accountability that nature advocates have long called for but needs improvements. Canada needs a strong nature law with targets, timelines and consequences to keep progress on track. We call on members of Parliament to prioritize this bill on the fall legislative agenda and work to improve it by the end of the year.”

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Background:

At the UN COP15 conference on biological diversity in Montreal in 2022, Canada committed to protect 30 per cent of its land and water by 2030, putting nature on a recovery path by 2050. Canada’s nature strategy is mandated to outline the actions that will be taken to achieve these goals.

For more information or media interviews, please contact:

Brandon Wei, Communications specialist, David Suzuki Foundation

bwei@davidsuzuki.org, 778 772-6138