TAKE ACTION: Nova Scotia returns $5 million in federal funding meant for conservation
The Canada Nova Scotia Nature Agreement provided $28.5 million in federal funding for conservation in Nova Scotia. The commitments in this agreement were not all met, and now $5 million dollars in unspent funds were sent back to the federal government. This is deeply concerning.
Please send a letter to Premier Tim Houston. More action is needed for conservation in Nova Scotia and returning this funding is unacceptable.
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When the provincial government signed the Canada-Nova Scotia Nature Agreement in 2023, Nova Scotia committed to increasing the provinces protected and conserved areas by 82,500 hectares of land by March 31, 2026. This commitment was not met. The Nature Agreement should have made it easy for Nova Scotia to reach its land protection targets. However, funding associated with this agreement went unused and about $5 million dollars was returned to the federal government. There is no excuse for this.
Failing to meet this commitment has consequences. It leaves important ecosystems vulnerable, puts renewed federal funding at risk, limits future conservation opportunities, and delays designation of pending sites that have already been invested in and undergone consultation.
Nova Scotia used to be a leader in conservation, but has fallen behind terribly. Please tell the provincial government to treat this issue with urgency by demonstrating that Nova Scotia is prepared to meet its responsibilities to citizens and the next seven generations.
