Conservation Exchange Pilot

Conservation in Canada

The Conservation Exchange Pilot aims to bring partners together to help advance Canada’s conservation goals to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050. It is an ambitious goal, but one that the health, prosperity, and well-being of all Canadians depend on. Achieving this commitment will require innovation, and strong collaboration and engagement with partners across all sectors and all levels of government.

Federal, provincial, and territorial governments, Indigenous peoples, and other partners, including non-government organizations and industry organizations, have important roles to play in conserving and restoring nature, protecting biodiversity and species at risk, fighting climate change, and rebuilding a strong and sustainable economy.

Pilot overview

The Conservation Exchange Pilot is a three-year (April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024) pilot that provides recognition to businesses for funding conservation projects in Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is developing and testing an approach that assesses and provides recognition for the benefits of conservation projects funded by businesses and delivered by proven conservation organizations.

Businesses that fund conservation projects will receive a government-backed certificate to recognize the benefits of the conservation work they are funding, and ongoing and completed projects will be featured lower on this page. Businesses can use the certificate to demonstrate their positive environmental impact with stakeholders, including in their annual reporting. The following diagram provides an overview of the concept:

The pilot aims to establish a simple, effective, and voluntary way for businesses to invest in nature conservation and receive government-backed recognition for these investments. Over the course of the three-year pilot, ECCC is applying the approach to assess the benefits of up to five conservation projects across the country.

The Conservation Exchange Pilot is encouraging businesses to invest in biodiversity conservation. The pilot is not an offsetting initiative.

Collaboration and research

ECCC is delivering the pilot in collaboration with industry associations, Indigenous leaders, conservation organizations, some provinces and territories, and conservation experts. Partners provide advice and input on the Conservation Exchange Pilot and the selection of conservation projects.

ECCC is incorporating expert advice on how Indigenous peoples can evaluate and recognize the benefits that Conservation Exchange Pilots’ projects have for them. ECCC is also exploring how the pilot can help stakeholders in the evolving world of sustainable finance learn about the biodiversity benefits of business-funded conservation projects.

Eligible organizations

Participation in the Conservation Exchange Pilot is voluntary. Any business can submit a project proposal for consideration, ideally in collaboration with a conservation organization.

“Conservation organizations” are defined in the Conservation Exchange Pilot as organizations that identify biodiversity conservation as a key part of their mission and have a proven track record of successfully delivering biodiversity conservation projects. This can include provincial, territorial, and Indigenous government organizations.

Eligible activities

Any project that enhances biodiversity in Canada may be eligible for the Conservation Exchange Pilot.

Application process

Interested parties may submit an application jointly, by a business and conservation organization, or individually, by a business that has yet to identify a conservation partner. During the pilot, ECCC will help to link businesses with conservation organizations.

To propose a project for the Conservation Exchange Pilot, contact the Conservation Exchange Pilot team to request an application form. Proposed projects will be assessed using criteria in the following categories:

• Indigenous engagement
• stakeholder engagement
• location
• expected conservation benefits

All applicants will receive a response that provides an overview of the assessment results. Next steps will be identified for any project being considered for the pilot.

Ongoing and completed projects

For more information

For more information on the pilot or the application process, please contact the Conservation Exchange Pilot team.