Category Archive for ‘Press Releases’

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 →

Ottawa, ON. (September 27, 2017) – Nature Canada, Canada’s oldest national nature conservation charity, is pleased to recognize and honour Ms. Inger Andersen, Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as its 151st member of Women for Nature. Ms. Inger Andersen, is being featured as a keynote speaker at today’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) annual conference in Ottawa at the Westin Hotel. SFI’s annual conference, with its theme: Forests. A Way of Life, is as an ideal venue to recognize Andersen because it brings together the foremost thought leaders from the fields of sustainability, conservation and youth outreach. More than 600 people attended Andersen’s keynote address. As Director General of IUCN, Ms. Inger Andersen emphasizes the importance… read more →

Hampton High School student Olivia DesRoches to receive Young Women for Nature Award for her nature leadership on Hampton High School’s 25th anniversary year. HAMPTON, NB (September 20, 2017) — Nature Canada, Canada’s oldest national nature conservation charity, is hosting a celebration in partnership with Hampton High School to recognize and welcome the Honourable Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick as its newest member of Women for Nature initiative. “Nature Canada is delighted Her Honour, The Honourable Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick has become our newest Women for Nature,” says Mr. Bob Peart, Chair of Nature Canada’s Board of Directors. “Having Her Honour, as a champion and role model for the important role nature plays in our Canadian… read more →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ottawa, ON (July 31, 2017) — Nature Canada and its Board of Directors are pleased to welcome Mr. Graham Saul as Nature Canada’s new Executive Director, effective September 11. Mr. Saul is a well-known environmental leader and one of the founding members of Ecology Ottawa, a not-for-profit, grassroots and volunteer-driven organization working to make Ottawa the green capital of Canada. He has more than twenty years of experience working with social and environmental organizations such as Climate Action Network Canada, the Washington, D.C.-based Bank Information Center, Friends of the Earth Canada and Oil Change International. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is a great pleasure to welcome Graham to the Nature Canada team,” says Bob… read more →

Victoria, B.C.  (July 12, 2017) — The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and Nature Canada, Canada’s oldest national nature conservation charity, are officially designating the grounds of Government House a NatureHood site as part of the expansion of the existing Saanich Peninsula NatureHood to include the entire capital region. The official ceremony took place on Wednesday, July 12 at 3:30pm at the Government House residence, 1401 Rockland Avenue, Victoria, B.C. “We are delighted by Her Honour’s passion for nature, and appreciate her support in acknowledging the Government House grounds as a NatureHood site within Victoria’s capital region,” says Bob Peart, National Chair of Nature Canada’s Board of Directors and volunteer with the Friends of Shoal Harbour. “What a… read more →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ottawa (June 29, 2017) – A federal discussion paper released today in response to the recent independent panel report Building Common Ground: A New Vision for Impact Assessment in Canada provides a reasonable framework for a next-generation federal law to assess development projects. “The federal government’s discussion paper is a step in the right direction to restore public trust in how Canada’s natural resources are developed,” says Stephen Hazell, Nature Canada’s Director of Conservation and General Counsel. “However, Nature Canada has several important concerns with the discussion paper, which perhaps can be addressed in the legislative drafting process” adds Hazell. Key positive directions described in the discussion paper include: Establishing a single federal agency to guide and conduct… read more →

Ecological integrity becomes priority in management of park today. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ottawa (June 20, 2017) – CPAWS and Nature Canada celebrate a major achievement today for Rouge National Urban Park- Bill C-18 received Royal Assent from the Governor General. The law means ecological integrity will be the first priority in management of Rouge National Urban Park. It meets a key request from leading conservation groups in Canada that the federal government prioritize nature conservation in law for the park. “How sweet it is,” says Janet Sumner, Executive Director for CPAWS Wildlands League. “After five years, we are that much closer to achieving our dream of building a truly amazing protected ecological connection for wildlife between the Oak Ridges Moraine… read more →

Ottawa, ON (May 12, 2017)—Nature Canada’s Women for Nature initiative is pleased to announce the first recipients of its exciting new Young Nature Leadership Grant. The goal of the grant is to encourage, foster and nurture youth to demonstrate their own leadership for nature. Canadian youth were invited to develop and implement (in 2017) a project inspired by the Canadian Parks Council’s recently published The Nature Playbook that connects a new generation with nature by bringing them into the nature. “As the Honorary Chair of Nature Canada’s Women for Nature initiative, I am delighted to see that Canada’s nature is in good hands,” says the Honourable Senator Diane Griffin. “These young women and their projects being recognized today are a… read more →