Department: Environment and Climate Change Canada

Marine spatial planning (MSP)

Halting and reversing the serious declines in ocean biodiversity and providing certainty among economic sectors dependent on the ocean, will require investments in the establishment of marine protected areas and the development of marine spatial plans.

It is no coincidence that the commitment to develop participatory, integrated and biodiversity inclusive spatial plans is the focus of the first target of the Global Biodiversity framework. MSP can provide foundational support to meeting the GBFs other targets in the marine environment, both with regards to halting and reversing biodiversity loss and ensuring the equitable sharing of the benefits and services that healthy ecosystems provide.

For MSP to be successful requires the investment of adequate funding, as well as setting objectives that are aligned with the goals of the GBF to provide decision makers with clear guidance on setting priorities and making trade-offs. Alignment of MSP with the GBF means that the development of conservation area networks must be the first priority in any spatial planning initiatives, as a healthy ocean is the very foundation of a thriving blue economy.

Marine spatial planning is an inclusive, comprehensive, and strategic approach to the use and management of ocean space and marine resources while protecting ecosystems, ensuring sustainability, and reducing overlap and conflicts between uses. MSP optimizes societal benefits from human activities while at the same time providing long-term protection of nature. MSP is a process that is being used by countries around the world.

MSP requires new governance arrangements that bring together various levels of government, including Indigenous governments, and the variety of stakeholders with an interest in the ocean region. The success of MSP hinges on a participatory approach and comprehensive governance. New governance arrangements, particularly with Indigenous peoples, is a critical component of successful MSP, and will require capacity support and ongoing funding. Building relationships and ensuring effective Indigenous and stakeholder engagement requires funding certainty that cannot be met with short term budget commitments.

The Government of Canada is currently proceeding with MSP in five regions, including: Southern BC; Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves; Estuary and Gulf of Saint Lawrence; Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy; and the Pacific North Coast. First generation plans or frameworks for the five regions are to be completed in 2024, but ongoing funding is required to continue collaborative processes, and support implementation and consultation in the development of full marine spatial plans, and to begin MSP in Canada’s remaining eight regions.

The original investment for MSP was made in 2018 with a one-year extension in 2023.

Recommended Investment:

$75 million over five years, then $15 million per year, ongoing [DFO, ECCC, PC, NRCan, TC]

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Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) renewal and expansion

Since 2007, the Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) has delivered over 1,600 projects to protect and conserve more than 800,000 hectares of secured habitat, supporting local economies in 350 municipalities from coast to coast to coast.

Federal investment kick-starts critical partnerships and attracts private capital and funding from corporations, industry, foundations, individual Canadians, and other levels of government to support newly protected and conserved areas, including capacity building and technical support for Indigenous-led conservation projects. Through the NHCP, partners have invested more than $1 billion of matched funding in conservation projects, leveraging funds from the Government of Canada to create more than $1.5 billion in conservation investment since 2007.

The NHCP is projected to run out of funds before March 2026.

A renewed and enhanced NHCP partnership will further its value and conservation actions by:

  • Delivering more than $1.56 billion in additional conservation outcomes by 2030;
  • Supporting NHCP partners in their commitment to deliver 500,000 hectares of new protected and conserved areas;
  • Advancing area-based biodiversity outcomes beyond hectares;
  • Expanding impact measure reporting to highlight and celebrate the benefits of land conservation for people and nature;
  • Increasing and strengthening relationships with Indigenous Peoples with demonstrable outcomes that support (re)connections to land- based practices.
  • Ensuring durable conservation outcomes via priority restoration, stewardship and maintenance activities, invasive species control and visitor management; and
  • Advancing science, data, and knowledge to support evidence-based policy and land-use decisions.

Recommended Investment:

$595 million over five years (an additional $95 million in 2025-26 and then $125 million per year for four years through 2029-30). All funding will be matched 1:1.5 by program partners. [ECCC]

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Ecological connectivity: Renewal of Parks Canada’s Ecological Corridors program

Ecological connectivity is vitally important to ensuring effective protected area networks that conserve nature. It is also critical to tackle the top threats to biodiversity: habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and climate change.

Canada’s Nature Strategy, alongside several goals and targets of the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework (Goal A, Targets 1,2,3,12,14), emphasize that ecological connectivity is fundamental to high-functioning ecosystems and healthy species populations.

Through an initial investment from Enhanced Nature Legacy, Parks Canada has developed a successful National Ecological Corridors program that has identified national priority areas for action, and
supported Indigenous partners, other jurisdictions, and NGOs in implementing on-the-ground connectivity initiatives. Renewing and expanding this support is vital to build on and increase this important work.

Recommendation:

Renewal of the Enhanced Nature Legacy program should include extending Parks Canada’s National Program for Ecological Corridors to 2030 or beyond ($120 million over five years) [PC, ECCC].

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Renewing Canada’s Marine Conservation Targets (MCT) funding

DFO has been leading collaboration with Parks Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service to develop Canada’s ocean conservation system, that includes Oceans Act MPAs, National Marine Conservation Areas and marine National Wildlife Areas, as well as Marine Refuges. TC, NRCan, and CIRNAC are partners in this work.

Previous investments in MCT has led to the protection of over 14% of Canada’s ocean territory in marine protected areas and marine refuges, with planning underway to establish a number of other protected areas in collaboration with Indigenous peoples, stakeholders and other governments.

MPA planning is an integrated and inclusive process that requires considerable investment to ensure effective stakeholder engagement, science support, capacity building, engagement of partner organizations (including other federal agencies, Indigenous, provincial and territorial governments), and new governance arrangements. This investment is critical to ensuring that Canada will meet its target of protecting at least 30% of its ocean territory by 2030, as committed to under Target 3 of the 2030 Nature Strategy.

Recommended Investment:

$1 billion over five years, then $200 million per year, ongoing [DFO, ECCC, PC, NRCan, TC, CIRNAC]

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Prioritizing support for Indigenous-led conservation in Enhanced Nature Legacy renewal

Enormous progress has been made in recognizing and supporting Indigenous leadership in conservation in recent years and federal investments have been critical to this work. Implementing Canada’s commitment to effectively protect at least 30% of land and ocean by 2030 hinges on recognition by Crown governments of Indigenous jurisdiction and title, and effective co-governance and co-management of protected land and ocean with Indigenous governments, through cooperative federalism. Doing this work in a good way takes time, and while the Nature Legacy and Enhanced Nature Legacy investments have been critical to lay a strong foundation for success, renewed and long-term investment is now needed to complete protection and ensure effective stewardship of the many areas identified for protection by Indigenous governments.

In addition to environmental and social benefits, there is strong evidence that investing in protected areas can generate a significant return on investment and help build resilient, diversified local economies, particularly in rural and remote communities.

Recommendation:

A renewed Enhanced Nature Legacy investment should prioritize long-term support for Indigenous-led conservation initiatives (Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas and Guardian programs), encourage action by provinces and territories, and support NGOs to help deliver on Canada’s land protection commitment. (Targets 1, 3, 4, 22) [ECCC, PC, HICC]

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