Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ottawa, ON –  June 16, 2025

Mark Carney’s Building Canada Act clearly shows that he is a man in a hurry and the list of amendments proposed to the Bill underscore both his speed and the hope that he will align his actions with his nature-focused values. Certainly the urgency of both the climate and biodiversity crisis reflect the need to take swift action. The concern is that in his haste, he may undermine his own goals. In this context, Nature Canada’s Executive Director, Emily McMillan points to “strengthening identity” as a missing factor for consideration that could show how he intends to build in nature to his vision for Canada.

“Projects that build our Canadian identity in the face of threats to our national sovereignty will be critical,” said McMillan. “And nothing is more Canadian than our natural heritage. This act should be leveraged to establish National Parks, preserve iconic landscapes on the path to 30×30, and launch bold nature restoration projects like returning wild bison herds to the prairies – ideas which loom large in the Canadian imagination.”

A national effort to reinforce nature as part of the Canadian identity would be completely in line with the Prime Minister’s stated approach and priorities while creating an avenue to implement the 2030 Nature Strategy and address the biodiversity crisis at the same time. Recent polling shows that Canadians see nature as one of, if not the most unifying theme around what it means to be Canadian. McMillan suggests that adding “identity” to the Bill would leave an opening for nature-positive projects such as:

• National Parks and other protected areas to help Canadians access and connect to nature. Especially National Urban Parks to give more Canadians a nearby place to build and share their natural and cultural heritage.
• A renewed effort to protect 30% of our lands, freshwater and oceans by 2030 representing a monumental achievement requiring commitment to Indigenous led conservation, ecological integrity, and sovereignty over Canada’s land and ocean territory.
• Major restoration projects to deliver on Carney’s promise that economic development and environmental harmony can live side by side in our shared vision for national prosperity.

“Canadians have placed a lot of trust in Mark Carney,” said McMillan. “Trust that Indigenous rights will be respected, that environmental responsibility will be a core priority, and that when all is said and done, Canada will be stronger, healthier, and more united. Nature is his greatest ally and this one simple change would be a signal that he plans to faithfully engage on those promises.”

Many voices, including Nature Canada, have raised serious concerns that the proposed Bill lacks sufficient safeguards for Indigenous rights, environmental impacts, and accountability to the people. Those concerns cannot be satisfied without amending the Bill. Given the speed at which the Bill is moving, a minimum change of including “identity” as a nation building factor and sharing a vision for a nature-positive approach would signal some alignment with potential environmental allies for his nation-building effort.

Nature Canada is Canada’s voice for nature. For 85 years, Nature Canada has helped protect over 110 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species. Today, Nature Canada represents a network of over 200,000 members and supporters and more than 1,200 nature organizations.

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For more information contact:

Scott Mullenix
613-366-4776 (call or text)
media@naturecanada.ca