Recommendations for Budget 2005
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National Conservation Fund

Summary
Recommendation: that the federal government make a leadership investment of $250 million into a highly leveraged National Conservation Fund. This initial investment should be matched by all levels of governments, non-governmental organizations, community groups and others by a target of 3:1. The fund would support priority conservation initiatives on the ground on a project-by-project basis.

Investment
$250 million leadership investment to be leveraged by partners

Benefits for Canadians

• restore Canada’s international leadership in nature conservation by helping fulfil existing commitments
• stretch Canadians’ tax dollars to achieve Canada’s conservation goals more efficiently and effectively on the ground
• engage hundreds of thousands of Canadians in conservation through partnerships with the voluntary sector
• contribute to a new and better relationship with aboriginal people by supporting their full participation in conservation and land-use planning on their traditional territories
• more certainty for all sectors, as a result of accelerated land use and conservation planning
• better protection for national parks and other protected areas by supporting stewardship of surrounding lands

Background and rationale:
“It is only by working together — as governments, industries, Aboriginal peoples and others — that we can secure our natural capital for our own and the world’s benefit.”⁷⁴

Canada is recognized internationally for its natural wealth and diversity. We have committed on the world stage to strong conservation measures through such agreements as the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas, as well as the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. Over the past decade there has been some progress on federal conservation initiatives, particularly on the legislative front⁷⁵. However, these first steps alone are not enough to achieve strong conservation measures on the ground.

While the vision of conserving our national biological diversity can be articulated, encouraged and even led by the federal government, responsibilities for land management are shared with provincial, territorial, municipal and First Nations governments. In addition, conservation groups, community groups, universities, private citizens and the private sector all have an important role to play in achieving conservation objectives. In other words, a national goal is not the exclusive responsibility of the federal government, but requires broad participation from all sectors of Canadian society.

Many Canadian organizations and individuals have valuable skills and resources to contribute to a shared goal of nature conservation. By investing in this leadership conservation fund, the federal government would provide an incentive to bring these potential partners to the table, as well as to leverage the funds to achieve greater results. Working together is clearly more effective than “going it alone”.

Modeled in part on the existing federal-provincial infrastructure program, and supported by the National Round Table on Environment and Economy’s report on Nature Conservation⁷⁶, our proposal for a leveraged National Conservation Fund will provide not only good economic value, but will encourage creativity and flexibility in conservation initiatives.

Partnership conservation programs such as the Natural Legacy 2000 initiative conserved hundreds of thousands of acres of Canada’s vast wilderness areas, and conducted research on endangered species recovery and conservation planning. Furthermore, through this program, conservation groups levered a federal investment of $10 million and delivered a program worth almost $40 million on the ground. Applying this formula to a National Conservation Fund means that $1 billion of conservation value could be achieved from a $250 million federal leadership investment.A National Conservation Fund should focus support on the following key priorities:

• supporting the participation of all interests in integrated science-based land use and conservation planning to ensure conservation decisions are made before opportunities are foreclosed by industrial development
• private land conservation and stewardship programs
• capacity building for aboriginal communities to lead land use planning and resource management processes in their traditional territories
• maintaining and restoring the ecological integrity of protected areas by supporting conservation initiatives on surrounding lands

Recommendation:
A $250 million federal leadership investment in a National Conservation Fund to be matched by all levels of governments, non-governmental organizations, community groups and others by a target of 3:1. This investment could result in conservation outcomes with a value of up to $1 billion — a strong return on taxpayers’ investment.

Alternative and Complementary Policies
Canada has international and national commitments to conservation that have yet to be fulfilled. The federal government could work independently to fulfil the commitments for which there is clear federal jurisdiction. However, this approach would be less efficient and effective than working cooperatively with all interests. A leadership investment in a highly leveraged National Conservation Fund would support a cooperative, efficient approach to conservation that would complement existing federal programs.

Contact
Julie Gelfand
Nature Canada,
613-562-3447 ext.231

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