The Government of Canada is dedicated to protecting biodiversity by conserving 30 per cent of land, inland waters, and marine areas by 2030. Connecting these areas is crucial to maintaining thriving ecosystems and ensuring species can move freely, adapt to a changing climate, and find suitable habitat to survive and thrive.
Today, Terry Sheehan, MP for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced $358,600 in funding for Ontario Nature to advance the Delineation and Connectivity Enhancements of an Ecological Corridor in the Sault Ste. Marie and Garden River National Priority Area project. Combined with $75,825 in matching funds, the total investment of $434,425 will bolster ecological connectivity and biodiversity conservation across this critical region.
The $358,600, contributed by Parks Canada’s National Program for Ecological Corridors for this project, are part of the nearly $7 million in funding announced earlier today to support ten corridor projects to enhance ecological connectivity in priority areas across Canada.
This collaborative initiative will focus on identifying and assessing gaps in ecological connectivity to delineate an ecological corridor and develop draft governance and management approaches reflective of Indigenous and regional partner priorities.
Identified as a national priority area for an ecological corridor, this region is essential to landscape connectivity within the Great Lakes Basin. As the key location for wildlife to move in a north-south manner around the east end of Lake Superior or west end of Lake Huron, the area acts as a critical pinch point for terrestrial wildlife movement.
By restoring ecological connectivity, this project will contribute to the development of a well-connected network of natural spaces, supporting the Government of Canada’s commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
QUOTE
“As a proud representative and resident of Sault Ste. Marie, I am thrilled to see this important investment in our region’s biodiversity. This ecological corridor project highlights the power of collaboration between Indigenous communities, regional partners, and Parks Canada to improve the area’s ecological connectivity and ensure species can thrive and ecosystems remain healthy for generations to come.”
Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie
QUICK FACTS
· Guided by western and Indigenous science and local perspectives, Canada is committed to conserving 30 per cent of lands, freshwater, and oceans by 2030.
· Ecological corridors deliver many benefits beyond biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. They contribute to sustainable livelihoods for local communities, they increase opportunities for people to connect with nature, and they promote human-wildlife coexistence.
· Parks Canada’s National Program for Ecological Corridors supports Indigenous leadership and stewardship by recognizing Indigenous stewardship values as a priority goal for corridors. The program also supports Indigenous-led pilot projects and other projects that are engaging and collaborating with local Indigenous communities on the stewardship of these lands.
· The Sault Ste. Marie and Garden River priority area is centred on the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. It is located in a transition zone between boreal and deciduous forests where the landscape, comprising 2.5 billion year-old Precambrian rock, is dotted with broad shallow lakes and rock-lined channels. It contains stands of old growth white pine and significant wetlands.
