Protecting nature: Canada’s story

It’s in our nature

Canada is home to a quarter of the Earth’s wetlands, temperate rainforests and boreal forests; 20% of its fresh water; the longest coastline in the world; and precious habitats for birds, fish, and mammals. We have a special responsibility to the world, and we are doing our part.

We are committed to conserving a quarter of our lands and a quarter of our oceans by 2025

We committed to conserving 2,496,168 km²of our land and fresh water and 1,437,500 km²of our oceans by 2025. That will be 3,933,668 km²of protected lands, lakes, and oceans—an area bigger than India! This action is part of the Government of Canada’s commitments to conserving a quarter of Canada’s lands and a quarter of its oceans by 2025 and working toward conserving 30% of each by 2030.

To reach our goals, we are working together with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, cities and towns, foundations, charities, and other partners from coast to coast to coast.

What we are doing

We are working with partners to protect more land and freshwater, and at the same time, recognizing conservation measures already in place across the country. We have a plan to reach our 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 targets—together we can do it. 

Canada’s conservation network is diverse and vast, and we are continuing to expand it by:

• continuing to establish new federal protected areas on lands and oceans
• negotiating Nature Agreements with provincial and territorial governments to advance shared conservation goals
• supporting Indigenous-led nature conservation
• funding programs to protect land and water in communities across the country, like
  • the Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP)
  • the Canada Nature Fund’s Target 1 Challenge
  • the Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP)
  • the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk
  • the Community-Nominated Priority Places (CNPP) for Species at Risk
  • The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP)
• applying innovative financing models to support Indigenous-led partnerships in conservation
• recognizing lands that are managed in ways that achieve the conservation of biodiversity as Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM)
• connecting partners to do more for nature through the Conservation Exchange Pilot
• supporting land owners who want to protect private lands through the Ecological Gifts Program (EGP)
• supporting Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and conserving ecosystems through Indigenous Guardians
• protecting sensitive habitats and improving conditions for 230 species at risk
• supporting biosphere reserves to help increase biodiversity conservation efforts across the country

What we have done

So far, more than 2 million km² of our lands and oceans are already protected or conserved—an area that is bigger than the size of Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador combined. Over the past several years, we have increased this number by creating and supporting new federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous protected areas, as well as areas protected by land trusts and communities.

We’re adding new protected and other conserved areas:

• Prairie Pastures (Govenlock, Nashlyn, and Battle Creek) land transfer in southwestern Saskatchewan covers an area of 800 km² and is an excellent example of how governments, ranchers, and conservation groups can work together to protect iconic Canadian biodiversity, including 12 species at risk
• Edéhzhíe Indigenous Protected Area, the first Indigenous protected area established under the Canada Nature Fund
• Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area, one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on Canada’s Pacific coast, attracting millions of migratory birds each year
• Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area off the northwest coast of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, in the Arctic Ocean, established in collaboration with the Inuit and Government of Nunavut to conserve and protect the diversity and productivity of the High Arctic sea-ice ecosystem
• St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area off the coast of Nova Scotia, a habitat for more than 100 species
• Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland, an Alberta-led protected area created and managed though collaboration with local Indigenous groups, the community, and industry and supported by the Canada Nature Fund
• Kenauk protected area, a unique and exceptional wetland and forest area and home to more than 170 species, protected by the Nature Conservancy of Canada

Interactive tools

Protected and conserved areas

NEW - Learn more about the types and locations of protected and conserved areas in the Canadian network. The Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database is now available on the Open Data portal. Did you know:

• There are more than 1,800 privately protected areas across the country (accounting for over 7,000 km²)
• There are  59 marine OECMs (over 318,000 km²) and 210 terrestrial OECMs (almost 91,000 km²) in Canada
• 3 Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas are listed in the national database, including:
  • Ts’udé Nilįné Tuyeta Territorial Protected Area (over 10,000 km²)
  • Thaidene Nëné Territorial Protected Area  (over 9,000 km²)
  • Edéhzhíe Protected Area (over 14,000 km²)

Critical habitat

Understanding critical habitat is an important step in halting and reversing biodiversity loss and prioritizing conservation for species at risk in Canada. Now you can view critical habitat for over 250 species at risk in one interactive map on the Open Data portal.

How you can help

Learn about activities you can do at home to protect nature.