On May 15 in Montreal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault announced the launch of consultations on the plan, commencing with a symposium open to all Canadians.

Nature Canada’s Executive Director Emily McMillan spoke at the launch. She thanked Minister Guilbeault for his leadership at COP 15, the December 2022 international biodiversity conference, and urged him to deliver a comprehensive action plan together with an accompanying accountability law by the end of 2023.

“We are experiencing a mass extinction on the scale of the loss of the dinosaurs. The crisis is urgent and we must meet it with urgency,” said McMillan.

Nature Canada encourages all who care about nature in their communities–whether birders, gardeners or hikers–to participate in the consultations, which run until July 15.

“The health, security and economic well-being of Canadians–and people around the world–depends on our success in halting the degradation and destruction of forests, wetlands, grasslands and oceans this decade,” said McMillan. “Achieving that goal will require the engagement of all federal departments, other levels of government, Indigenous nations and all Canadians.”

Nature Canada, and its network of over 1,000 nature groups, mobilized across Canada in support of the recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework signed at COP 15 in Montreal in December. Nature Canada will continue to advocate for a comprehensive, transformative and well-funded action plan to deliver on all targets in that agreement.