Sea Change Canada with Nature Canada

Sea Change Canada attended Nature on the Hill (NOTH) this past May in Ottawa, thanks to the coordination of Nature Canada. Nature on the Hill has become a flagship project and annual gathering, presenting a unified voice for nature from coast to coast to coast. With less than seven years until 2030, NOTH participants were able to advocate for an ambitious 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy for Canada that is backed by a strong Nature Accountability Act, both to be released this year. It is vital they are developed in partnership with Indigenous Nations to uphold their rights and authority to protect nature.

While at Nature on the Hill, were given opportunities to meet fellow environmentalists and to create relationships with organizations all throughout Canada. We were also assigned meetings with Members of Parliament to share stories and perspectives from our networks to emphasize the urgency for political action.

We were also united in conveying key messages to make the case for a National Biodiversity Strategy backed by Nature Accountability legislation that is;

1. Enforceable: It must “have teeth”, bringing consequences for failure and defining course-correction provisions.

2. Equitable: It must include everyone, and honour Indigenous rights and leadership.

3. Adequately Financed: Canada needs to scale up investments in nature while phasing out subsidies to industries that harm nature.

During this event Sea Change Canada met with several Members of Parliament, including Taylor Bachrach of the NDP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley, British Columbia; Gudie Hutchings of the Liberal Party for Long Range Mountains, Newfoundland and Labrador; Taleeb Noormohamed of the Liberal Party for Vancouver Granville, British Columbia; Mike Kelloway, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

This was an amazing opportunity for the environmental network throughout Canada to come together for a mutual cause. Some great news that came out of the event was released in June! The National Biodiversity Strategy and Accountability Act has officially been released! The federal government revealed “Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy: Halting and Reversing Biodiversity Loss in Canada” as they tabled the Nature Accountability Act that will now be reviewed by Parliament.  

This is an incredibly exciting moment for nature - and while we can never be certain of what actions made the most impact - we are sure that the efforts in lobbying during Nature on the Hill contributed in a big way to these items happening before Parliament rises for the summer. 

While we welcome its release and recognize it as an important step for nature conservation, the strategy’s success hinges on ambitious, meaningful actions and significant federal investments for its implementation. There is work to be done to strengthen the strategy by ensuring adequate funding for the initiatives outlined within it. Without that funding, it may fail to fulfill the commitments outlined in the 2022 Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Chantel Haigh is the Vice Chair for Sea Change Canada.