ENVI Committee Report

Dr. Harold Albrecht, M.P.
Chair
Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Dear Colleague,

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (the Committee) for its study and subsequent report on Terrestrial Habitat Conservation in Canada. As with the Committee’s earlier studies related to the National Conservation Plan and Urban Conservation Practices in Canada, this study on Terrestrial Habitat Conservation has greatly informed the development of the National Conservation Plan.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of habitat conservation in protecting Canada’s biodiversity. As announced by Prime Minister Harper, the National Conservation Plan represents the Government’s plan to conserve and restore our lands and waters, and connect Canadians to nature. The Plan will encourage on-the-ground action and partnerships that will contribute to Canada’s long-term prosperity. The National Conservation Plan will celebrate and build on the diversity of conservation activities already taking place across the country.

Responsibility for habitat conservation is shared among federal, provincial and territorial governments. In addition, the sustained contributions of Aboriginal communities, municipalities, farmers, ranchers, private landowners, business leaders, and many others are making a difference on the landscape. These individuals and organizations are managing habitat by adopting best practices, developing environmental farm plans, restoring wetlands, and taking other actions in support of habitat conservation. Often these successes are rooted in strong partnerships – a theme that comes through clearly in the Committee’s report.

In addition to its emphasis on partnerships, the Committee’s report, as well as the testimonies and written submissions, highlighted the importance of stewardship funding and programs, expanding Canada’s network of protected areas, and fully accounting for the conservation efforts of private land owners and others.

In consideration of the particular relevance of the Terrestrial Habitat Conservation Study to the National Conservation Plan, and the respect I hold for the many people and organizations who provided evidence and the work of your Committee to translate this information into your final report, permit me here to respond to each recommendation.

In Recommendation 1, the Committee calls on the Government to continue to work with multiple levels of government and stakeholders, recognizing that they have knowledge and a key role to play in support of habitat conservation planning and in sharing and implementation of best practices. The Government already has a long history of partnering with others who are well-placed to help realize our collective habitat conservation objectives. Of the many, many examples of collaboration, cooperation and partnership, I will mention only two here, and others below. Between 2006 and 2013, over 56 000 km² of wetlands and associated uplands were conserved in Canada through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which brings together all levels of government, private companies, non-government organizations as well as individuals. Over the last two years, proposed 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada were developed with strong collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from stakeholders and Aboriginal groups, further to Canada’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Working in partnership with Canadians best placed to take action will remain the cornerstone of the Government of Canada’s approach to habitat conservation.

Recommendation 2 calls for the Government to take into consideration local and regional habitat conservation efforts, and to acknowledge the habitat conservation practices of Canadian businesses and industry. The Government recognizes that the sustained contributions of Aboriginal communities, municipalities, farmers, ranchers, private landowners, business leaders, and many others are making a difference on the landscape. These individuals and organizations are managing habitat by adopting best practices, developing environmental farm plans, implementing forest management plans, restoring wetlands, and taking other actions in support of habitat conservation. The Government’s conservation efforts, from establishing new National Parks to species at risk recovery planning and habitat stewardship, carefully consider and involve local and regional conservation efforts. Consultation processes engage local communities and governments, including regional conservation experts, to ensure federal measures work in synchrony with existing measures.

In Recommendation 3, the Committee recommends that the Government develop a more inclusive definition of “conserved areas” which accounts for all areas in Canada where species habitat has been effectively conserved, and further recommends that the Government work with other levels of government, private landowners, and other stakeholders to identify areas for habitat conservation and ensure that all such conserved areas are fully acknowledged and accounted for. The Government agrees that a comprehensive inventory of conservation areas in Canada would be a valuable resource that could support conservation research and decisions and allow Canada to recognize the contribution that governments, conservation organizations and individuals alike make to protecting Canada’s natural heritage. Accurately classifying and reporting on all of Canada’s conservation areas, including publicly and privately owned protected areas and other conservation measures on land and at sea is a key to understanding and sharing information on Canada’s efforts to conserve our nature. It would also enable Canada to report on progress toward the aspirational global and proposed domestic target, to conserve 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine area in protected areas and “other effective area-based conservation measures”. The federal government is working with other levels of government and conservation organizations to develop guidance on identifying and reporting on “other effective area-based conservation measures”. Federal officials are working with provinces and territories to gather comprehensive information on conservation areas beyond government protected areas.

In Recommendation 4, the Committee encourages the Government to continue to invest in, and partner with, conservation groups that produce meaningful conservation outcomes. Partnerships with conservation groups are a fundamental element of the Government’s conservation work. Successful partnerships include the Government’s work with the Nature Conservancy of Canada on the Natural Areas Conservation Program. Previous investments of $225 million in 2007 and $20 million in 2013 for the NACP have already led to the protection of 387 000 hectares (3 870 km^²) of private land, including habitat for 164 species at risk. Budget 2014 included plans for additional conservation partnerships, including $3 million to expand Earth Rangers’ family-oriented conservation and biodiversity programming. The National Conservation Plan will further advance this partnership-based approach.

In Recommendation 5, the Committee notes that the National Conservation Plan could be an appropriate vehicle to stimulate the development of innovative incentive programs that complement appropriate regulation and support habitat conservation on private lands. The Ecological Gifts Program offers significant tax benefits to landowners who donate ecologically sensitive land or a partial interest in that land. Since 1995, lands worth a total of $633 million have been donated, protecting over 150 000 hectares of wildlife habitat. Many of donated lands are home to species at risk. In Budget 2014, to encourage additional donations of ecologically sensitive land, the Government announced its intention to double the carry-forward period for donations under the Ecological Gifts Program. Budget 2014 also announced a doubling of annual funding for the Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program by providing an additional $15 million over two years. Incentive programs such as these will remain the hallmark of the Government’s approach.

In Recommendation 6, the Committee recommends that the Government work with all levels of government, industry and private conservation organizations to implement a nation-wide, incentive-based ecological goods and services program for the privately-owned agricultural and forestry landscapes. The Government has been active in several initiatives related to ecosystem services. For example, as part of the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (2009-14) the federal government sponsored several pilot projects in order to explore innovative ways of increasing the ecological services that farmland provides to the public, including habitat conservation. In addition, a range of federal departments, including Statistics Canada, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada collaborated on the Measuring Ecosystem Goods and Services initiative to better measure, map and value Canada’s natural capital and ecosystem services. The Government is also working with provinces, territories and external experts to develop an ecosystem services toolkit that will assist all levels of government in assessing and taking into consideration ecological services when designing policies and programs. Under the National Conservation Plan, the Government will continue to encourage voluntary actions to achieve conservation outcomes on private lands, including on agricultural and forestry landscapes.

In Recommendation 7, the Government is called upon to continue to encourage voluntary stewardship through its programs. Many of the Government’s key conservation partnerships are supported by our stewardship funding programs, which focus in part on enabling conservation activities on private lands and working landscapes. Programs include the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk, the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk, and the EcoAction Community Funding Program. Support for voluntary stewardship actions for habitat conservation will continue to be a priority under the National Conservation Plan.

Recommendation 8 calls on the Government to work with all levels of government, private landowners and other stakeholders to establish incentives that work alongside regulations in order to retain and restore wetlands. Through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and its regional Joint Ventures the Government currently works with all levels of government and stakeholders on a regional basis to set priorities and guide investments that support habitat for waterfowl. Incentive programs such as the Ecological Gifts Program, and support for voluntary action through, for example, the Habitat Stewardship Program can also benefit wetlands. Under the National Conservation Plan, the Government will continue to support action on wetlands by local, regional and national partners across the country.

In Recommendations 9, the Committee encourages the Government to continue to build on the success of private land conservation programs such as the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk and the Ecological Gifts Program. The Government has had considerable experience and success with private land conservation programs, like the Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) which provides incentives for voluntary actions by funding projects designed to restore and conserve species at risk and their habitats, selecting qualified projects through an application-based process. Since 2006, the HSP has provided over $83 million to support more than 1 400 local conservation projects. As noted above, in Budget 2014, the Government announced its intention to double the carry-forward period for donations under the Ecological Gifts Program to encourage additional donations of ecologically sensitive land. Budget 2014 also announced a doubling of annual funding for the Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program by providing an additional $15 million over two years. The National Conservation Plan will build on the success of these and other private land conservation programs.

In Recommendation 10, the Government is encouraged to build on the successes of the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk by improving its performance targets and the efficiency of program delivery for responding to funding applications. The Government is committed to the efficient and effective delivery of the Habitat Stewardship Program, as evidenced by recent improvements to streamline the administration of the program. While we will continue to look for opportunities to bring additional improvements to the application and reporting processes, I am pleased to note the positive adjustments that have been made and that the program continues to deliver solid results.

Recommendations 11 calls on the Government to utilize the knowledge and experience of those Canadians who live closest to the land including Aboriginal peoples, farmers, ranchers, hunters, and the entire conservation community. Consultation and collaboration are central to Government actions on conservation. This includes, for example, extensive consultation on specific initiatives such as the development of species at risk recovery documents, or the establishment and management of protected areas. Habitat Joint Ventures and many other collaborative programs involve partners directly in conservation planning and implementation. In many cases, the Government programs are designed to be implemented in cooperation with other groups, such as the Species at Risk Advisory Committee and the National Aboriginal Committee on Species at Risk. In addition, the Government reaches out to regional organizations through, for example, the recently constituted Hunting and Angling Advisory Panel. The National Conservation Plan will be implemented in close collaboration with partners.

Recommendation 12 calls for the Government to invest in targeted research that will improve habitat conservation outcomes and ensure that the results of this research are made available to the public. The Government regularly undertakes research in a wide range of areas to support habitat conservation and planning, including research on habitat requirements and condition. For example the Government currently tracks status and trends in the structure, composition and function of Canadian forest ecosystems. This includes assessment of the state of the boreal forest to determine if boreal ecosystems are healthy, to characterize the effects of resource management on boreal ecosystems and to quantify the extent of the boreal zone that requires protection. Results of this and other research are made available to the public on-line and published in peer-reviewed journals and reports. We will continue to ensure this type of information is readily available to the public, and will expand the use of tools and technologies, such as geospatial information, that make habitat-related information easier to share and use. For example, work is underway to develop Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure, an on-line resource that improves the sharing, access and use of geospatial information, which could be leveraged to support a wide range of decision-making, including consideration of biodiversity, from local to national levels.

In Recommendation 13, the Government of Canada is encouraged to continue to work with willing partners to improve the coordination of conservation activities among jurisdictions. The Government is actively engaged in a range of collaborative conservation efforts. Another example of this collaboration is the South of the Divide Stewardship in Action, a joint initiative of the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan and stakeholders to conserve species at risk in the Milk River Watershed in southwestern Saskatchewan. The goal of the project is to conserve species at risk and their supporting habitats by collaborating with land owners and land users to identify and promote cost-effective land stewardship practices that respect cultural, traditional and economic values of this working landscape. The Government will continue to work with a full range of partners on conservation.

Recommendation 14 encourages the Government to continue to show leadership in protecting Canada’s rich natural heritage by continuing to expand Canada’s national parks system and by completing the National Conservation Plan. The Government is working to expand Canada’s network of protected areas. Since 2006, we have added over 61 000 km² to the network of federal protected areas, an area nearly twice the size of Vancouver Island. This includes the expansion of Nahanni National Park Reserve by over 25 000 km² and the designation of 10 new sites including Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site in BC, and Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area in Nunavut. In addition, by 2015, we are aiming to complete our work to protect wilderness lands in Nááts’ihch’oh, Bathurst Island and the Mealy Mountains. We are also working to create Canada’s first National Urban Park, and are investing in the maintenance of our existing protected areas. Budget 2014 announced $391.5 million over five years to make improvements to highways, bridges, and dams located in our national parks and along our historic canals.

Finally, in Recommendation 15, the Committee recommends that the Government of Canada continue to work in partnership with all levels of government, and other stakeholders to ensure efficient delivery of habitat conservation programs across Canada. The Government is committed to the efficient and effective delivery of its habitat conservation programs, as evidenced by recent improvements to streamline the administration of the Habitat Stewardship Program. We will continue to work in partnership with other orders of government, and with stakeholders, to ensure that every opportunity is taken to further improve the delivery of such programs to Canadians.

In closing, I would like to reiterate my thanks to the Committee for its hard work, and to all those who provided input to the Committee’s study. The Government continues to make tangible progress to conserve our rich natural heritage for all Canadians to enjoy. We will make further, significant progress as we work together to implement a National Conservation Plan built upon the views, opinions and recommendations found in the Committee’s Terrestrial Habitat Conservation in Canada report.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, P.C., M.P.