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Ensuring federal assessment of high-carbon projects is critical if Canada is to step up Paris Agreement ambitions at COP 24. For Immediate Release – December 6, 2018, OTTAWA – Some of Canada’s largest and most polluting industrial projects may get a free pass on federal review under a new law if the government capitulates to industry demands, warn leading environmental groups. The groups are calling on Canada to expand the list of projects it reviews to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental damage from proposed industrial development are minimized. Bill C-69, which includes the Impact Assessment Act, has been subject to intense lobbying in the Senate to weaken or kill the Bill. In recent weeks, the oil and… read more →
For Immediate Release – Monday, November 26, 2018 Ottawa – A new report released today exposes the negative health impacts excessive screen time is having on Canadian children. Screen Time vs Green Time: The Health Impacts of Too Much Screen Time by Nature Canada outlines the dramatic shift in the way Canadian kids and teens are spending their time today, with both physical and mental health repercussions. “When our parents told us to go play outside, they were actually giving us great health advice,” says Jill Sturdy, NatureHood Program Manager with Nature Canada. “Unfortunately, today excessive screen use is not only robbing our kids of memories playing in the outdoors, it is hurting our kids’ health.” Some key findings of… read more →
For immediate release – October 4, 2018 OTTAWA – A number of Canada’s leading environmental groups are calling out the oil and gas industry and other critics of Bill C-69 for what they say is false rhetoric about important improvements to key environmental laws. “There has been a lot of rubbish circulating about Bill C-69,” says Anna Johnston, a staff lawyer with the West Coast Environmental Law Association. “A very small, very vocal group out of the oilpatch has been spreading wildly inaccurate claims in order to kill some critical fixes to our environmental laws.” Bill C-69 introduces a new Impact Assessment Act to replace the existing Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012 (CEAA 2012), and reconfigures the National Energy Board.… read more →
Ottawa, ON (June 21, 2018) —Today, the House of Commons passed Bill C-69—including a new law the Impact Assessment Act—which should greatly improve environmental reviews of development projects as well as regain public trust. “Bill C-69 represents important reforms by emphasizing sustainability and a single-agency approach to assessing resource projects, and by eliminating rules restricting public participation in hearings” says Stephen Hazell, Director of Conservation and General Counsel. “We are satisfied that an appropriate balance has been struck in this legislation and that it will assist in regaining public trust in reviews of natural resource development projects.” “The Senate now has the opportunity to consider Bill C-69, including amendments, as passed by the House of Commons.” said Hazell. “Nature Canada notes… read more →
OTTAWA (Tuesday, June 19, 2018) — The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Yukon Chapter (CPAWS Yukon) and Nature Canada together are making sure the U.S. Government knows there is no place for oil and gas extraction in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Today is the final day of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s public scoping period in advance of its environmental review of oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Refuge. More than 12,000 Canadians have submitted comments and signatures to the U.S. Government, urging the cross-border impacts of oil and gas drilling be addressed. Every spring the longest land mammal migration on Earth takes place as the Porcupine caribou herd crosses the Yukon and… read more →
Ottawa, Ontario, 7 mai 2018 — Le samedi 12 mai, des dizaines de regroupements de personnes célèbreront partout au pays la Journée mondiale des oiseaux migrateurs avec des activités thématiques allant d’ateliers de maquillage pour les enfants à l’observation d’oiseaux, pour le bonheur des petits et des grands. Chaque année, le printemps est marqué par les déplacements de centaines d’espèces d’oiseaux, dont plusieurs reviennent au Canada après être allés aussi loin qu’en Amérique du Sud. « Nous sommes ravis qu’autant de groupes participent à la Journée des oiseaux cette année, explique Graham Saul, directeur général de Nature Canada. Les oiseaux font un voyage incroyable pour revenir ici, auprès de nous : nous leur devons bien d’accentuer nos efforts de conservation afin qu’ils puissent continuer d’accomplir leur… read more →
OTTAWA, ON (May 7, 2018) – Dozens of groups from coast to coast are celebrating World Migratory Bird Day this coming Saturday, May 12, with events ranging from bird watching to face painting. Spring is when hundreds of species of birds are on the move, with many returning to Canada from as far away as South America. “We’re thrilled so many groups are participating in this year’s Bird Day,” said Graham Saul, Executive Director of Nature Canada. “Birds go through incredible journeys to be with us, and we owe it to them to step up our conservation efforts so that they can continue to thrive.” A new report from BirdLife International, State of the World’s Birds 2018, reinforces what we… read more →
Ottawa, ON (February 27, 2018)—Budget 2018 is a billion-dollar breakthrough for nature conservation according to Nature Canada. “This budget is a game-changer,” says Graham Saul, Nature Canada’s Executive Director. “We congratulate Finance Minister Morneau, Prime Minister Trudeau, and Environment Minister McKenna on making these critical investments. We think that Canada’s wildlife would also applaud.” Budget 2018 commits Canada to investing $1.3 billion over five years to establish new protected areas and to recover endangered and threatened species. “Investing in protected areas is the way of the future for federal, provincial and Indigenous governments, says Stephen Hazell, Nature Canada’s Director of Conservation. “Providing financial support to Indigenous governments such as the Moose Cree First Nation to protect and manage their sacred places… read more →
Ottawa, ON (27 février 2018) Nature Canada est d’avis que le budget de 2018 représente une contribution à la protection de la nature sans précédente. Le directeur exécutif de Nature Canada, Graham Saul, dit tout simplement que le budget « a l’étoffe pour faire une différence, » et que l’organisation « veut féliciter le Ministre des Finances, Bill Morneau, le Premier Ministre Trudeau et la Ministre de l’Environnement et du Changement climatique, Catherine McKenna, pour cet investissement crucial. » Ajoutant aussi, « Nous croyons que, si ce serait faisable, les nombreuses espèces sauvages exprimeraient similairement leur reconnaissance. » Le budget de 2018 présente un investissement de $1,3 milliard qui seront investi au cours des prochaines cinq années. Cet investissement contribuera… read more →
Ottawa, ON (February 8, 2018) — Bill C-69, the proposed Canadian Impact Assessment Act, improves greatly on the Harper government’s 2012 law, but amendments are needed if the federal government is to regain public trust in reviews of pipeline and other projects and position Canada for a sustainable future. “Bill C-69 represents important reform by emphasizing sustainability, a single-agency approach to assessing resource projects, and eliminating rules restricting public participation in hearings” says Stephen Hazell, Director of Conservation and General Counsel. “But amendments will be needed if this law is to support Canada’s international commitments to reverse biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” “Nature Canada is disappointed that the Bill does not require assessment of the sustainability of proposed government policies,… read more →
