Federal government supports conservation of northern Ontario’s taiga forests and peatlands, conserving an area 1.3 times the size of Toronto

Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, and the Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature), announced the protection of more than 81,400 hectares of taiga forests and peatlands south of Kapuskasing, Ontario

Nature is foundational to Canadian identity. Canada’s forests, lakes, rivers, prairies, mountains, tundra, and oceans are part of who we are. They strengthen our sovereignty, support the economy, and sustain life. Canada is working hard with local, national, and international partners to conserve nature, strengthen climate resilience, and support healthy communities across Canada.

Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, and the Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature), announced the protection of more than 81,400 hectares of taiga forests and peatlands south of Kapuskasing, Ontario. The federal government will invest over $13 million in this project through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program. This amount is part of a total investment of $64 million from the federal government, the Government of Ontario, businesses, foundations, and private donors. Led by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the project protects a significant boreal landscape that stores carbon, supports biodiversity, and provides habitat for wildlife.

The protected area includes carbon-rich boreal forests and peatlands that currently store more than 30 million tonnes of carbon, the equivalent to the annual emissions of approximately 34 million passenger vehicles. The project also supports habitat conservation for a variety of species, including species at risk such as the red-headed woodpecker and the bobolink. Through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, the Government of Canada is supporting the conservation of ecologically significant lands while advancing Canada’s biodiversity objectives.