Nature groups warn federal funding cuts endangering efforts to protect land, water

OTTAWA — Some of Canada’s most prominent conservation groups say Ottawa is putting at risk its goals to protect nearly one-third of Canada’s land and waterways, with tens of millions of dollars in federal funding about to run out.

Canada has committed to protecting 30 per cent of its terrestrial and coastal areas by 2030 and was only about halfway to that target by the end of 2024. The commitment was reinforced by the Liberal election platform and the speech from the throne delivered by King Charles last May.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney last week, the heads of four environmental advocacy groups said the lack of clarity on whether the funding will be renewed has created uncertainty for people working in the conservation sector.

“It has stalled conservation work already underway and put important rural jobs at risk. Failure to act now would waste years of public investment and leave communities and Indigenous partners without the support they were promised,” the letter reads.

The letter was signed by the heads of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Nature Canada, and Birds Canada.

“Canada cannot credibly champion sustainable development, economic resilience and global co-operation while stepping back from one of its most visible and widely supported commitments.” the letter reads.

The 2026-2027 departmental plan for Environment and Climate Change Canada, published on Friday, lists $366 million for conservation efforts. Last year the same document earmarked $952 million for conservation, while the previous year it was more than $1 billion.

Much of the shortfall heading into 2026-2027 comes from the loss of $381 million from the sunsetting Enhanced Nature Legacy fund, officials from Environment and Climate Change Canada told parliamentarians on the House environment committee last week.

The fund was a promise from the 2021 federal budget to spend $2.3 billion over five years on conservation, starting in 2021-22.

Kurt Chin Quee, the department’s assistant deputy minister and chief financial officer, told the committee that funding would not be replaced.

“However, we do have other funds within the nature program to support nature initiatives,” he said.

Emily McMillan, executive director of Nature Canada, said with just weeks to go before the funding is set to expire, environment groups can’t get a clear answer from Ottawa on whether the money will be replaced.

“None of the environmental groups have gotten a meeting with the prime minister, and when we meet with the ministers, they’re also saying, ‘Well, we don’t know yet,’ or, ‘It’s coming,’ or, ‘It’ll come soon,'” McMillan told The Canadian Press.

“We’re starting to feel a little impatient here because when that much money ends at the end of March … we know for sure things will have to drop, but we don’t even know which bits of it are going to drop.”

Speaking before the environment committee last week, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin said she was aware of the issue.

“For me and our government, it’s very important to continue to protect nature and to conserve it,” she said in French in response to questions from Bloc Québécois MP Patrick Bonin.

“I know that we have this date of March 31 and we’re working on it. I don’t have an amount to provide today, but I’m aware of it.”

Dabrusin was unavailable for an interview with The Canadian Press on Monday. A statement from her spokesman, Keean Nembhard, said as of 2024, 13.8 per cent of land and inland water had been conserved and the government remains committed to the 30 per cent goal. He said a nature strategy is currently being developed.

“The Government of Canada is proud of the meaningful work that has already taken place and are committed to continuing the work of protecting Canada’s lands and waters, including through ongoing work of the government’s upcoming nature strategy,” Nembhard said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2026

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press