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On World Nature Conservation Day Ontario Remains a Laggard

Media Release

Quetico Provincial Park © Noah Cole

Tkaronto (Toronto) July 28, 2025 – We acknowledge that there are 46 treaties and other agreements that cover the territory now called Ontario and our roles and responsibilities as Treaty partners. We recognize the inherent rights and responsibilities of Indigenous Nations, who have cared for and governed Turtle Island since time immemorial.

Today marks World Nature Conservation Day, a day that acknowledges that a healthy environment is crucial for a stable and healthy society. It is also a day to raise awareness of the importance of nature conservation.

However, Ontario remains a laggard among its provincial peers in nature conservation, still sitting at just under 11% of its area protected. While Canada has committed to protecting 30 percent of its lands and waters by 2030, in alignment with the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Government of Ontario has yet to commit to these international and national targets. Yet, 86% of Ontarians support expanding protected areas based on polling done by the provincially appointed protected areas working group Across the province, significant opportunities remain to protect and expand areas of ecological, cultural, and social significance.

Ontario Nature’s Protected Places StoryMap was launched in 2021 as a collaborative project featuring potential protected areas submitted by partners and the public. Ontario Nature is relaunching the StoryMap to explain why protected areas matter as well as the challenges and opportunities in Ontario to increase nature conservation efforts.

The updated StoryMap features areas currently protected in the province, as well as over 4.8 million hectares of potential protected areas identified by Ontario Nature and partners. Many of the featured areas have had strong grassroots support for their protection for decades, presenting obvious conservation wins for the province if the Government of Ontario acts.

According to Ontario Nature’s Protected Places Assistant, Tarun Titus:

“Protecting more of our lands and waters safeguards biodiversity and increases resilience to the impacts of climate change. There are significant opportunities in Ontario to protect our natural legacy. All that is needed is political will from the Government of Ontario.”

On World Nature Conservation Day, we urge the Government of Ontario to rapidly expand protected areas using the opportunities identified in Ontario Nature’s Protected Places StoryMap.

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About

Ontario Nature protects wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. A charitable organization, it represents 9,500 members, 130,000 supporters and 150 member groups from across Ontario.

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