Nature is foundational to Canadian identity. Canada's forests, lakes, rivers, prairies, mountains, tundras, and oceans are part of who we are, strengthen sovereignty, support the economy, and sustain life. Nature underpins food systems, clean air and water, energy, climate and disaster resilience, and Canada's identity-yet it faces mounting threats from climate change, urbanization, and biodiversity loss. Nature is a key driver as we work to build our economy while integrating biodiversity considerations into infrastructure and resource development.
Today, the Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature), highlighted eight tree-planting projects across Saskatchewan. These projects represent a $24.5 million investment to plant over five million trees, helping to protect nature and biodiversity in Canada by restoring critical habitats for species at risk and advancing Indigenous-led forest planting and restoration efforts.
Announced in March 2026, the $3.8 billion A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature is based on three pillars for action to harmonize nature protection and economic growth: Protecting Nature in Canada, Building Canada Well, and Valuing Nature and Mobilizing Capital. These projects will support these pillars by helping to capture and store carbon from the atmosphere, improve air and water quality, help to restore nature and biodiversity, cool our urban centres, and create and support thousands of green jobs.
Key components of the strategy include increasing our protected areas network on land and water, including by expanding our parks network and recognizing and expanding on working landscapes, as well as other effective conservation measures. Federal programs have made historic progress in restoring forests and building greener communities across the country as we work toward to our goals of protecting 30% of lands, waters, and oceans in Canada by 2030.
Indigenous leadership is at the heart of protecting nature. Anchored in traditional knowledge and stewardship, it is critical to achieving our national and international commitments on nature. This new strategy will accelerate Canada's progress toward protecting 30% of our lands and waters by 2030, restore critical habitats, strengthen ocean resilience, and mobilize new investments in nature while ensuring that conservation and economic development go hand in hand.
