At Nature Canada, our mission is clear: to be the voice for nature. Our government relations and advocacy work is built on translating your voices into actionable political accountability. Last week, we saw that work pay off when our message resonated directly within the halls of power.

On November 5th, during the Senate Question Period, Senator Mary Coyle, a powerful voice for Nova Scotia, echoed concerns of Canadians like you by challenging the government on the crucial omission of nature in Budget 2025.

Senator Coyle’s questions were posed in the Senate after meeting with Nature Canada and our  partners at Nature on the Hill to present the non-negotiable case for funding the 2030 Nature Strategy.

She directly quoted our concerns that this government is not meeting its promises. The Liberal platform had considerable ambition for nature but the Senator pointed out a sobering fact: the 2025 budget does not yet provide the funds required to implement Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy.

The question was pressed: How will the Prime Minister keep his promises to protect nature, and ensure a resilient future for generations to come, if the core funding is absent?

Nature is Economic Resilience

Senator Coyle’s follow-up question sharpened the focus on a truly alarming detail: the budget’s only explicit mention of nature involved Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) needing to “streamline its nature programming” to meet up to 15% in savings targets.

This raises an essential question for every Canadian: Does “streamlining” mean cutting? Is the government using the cover of fiscal prudence to silently retreat from its promises on nature protection?

The government’s response, focusing on long-term economic growth before investing in environmental sustainability, misses the point entirely. Investing in nature is investing in long-term economic growth. Our protected wetlands clean our water; our forests are critical carbon sinks; and our natural spaces power our local economies through tourism and recreation. Nature is not a line item to be reduced.

Add your voice

Nature Canada’s ability to successfully engage the Senate proves that when we speak together, our voices are strong enough to break through. Through support from Canadians across the country our message is being heard.

You can help Nature Canada’s work to hold politicians accountable. The time for smart, meaningful investments in nature is now.

We thank Senator Coyle for her leadership in the Senate. As we move into the committee phase of budget review, you will help Nature Canada to be relentless, working behind the scenes and in public to ensure the Canadian government honors its commitments and funds the future we all deserve.

To be continued…