Indigenous peoples have been stewards of the land, water, and ice since time immemorial. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the work that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis are doing to protect and recover species at risk in Canada. Efforts to conserve nature, reduce threats to species, and foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing are central to Canada's plan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050. Supporting Indigenous leadership in conservation is essential to achieving these targets.
Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced up to $6 million in funding over the next three years through the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk to support 49 conservation projects across Canada. These projects are led by Indigenous nations and organizations, reflecting their unique values, interests, and knowledge in taking action to recover species at risk.
The Fund plays an important role in the conservation of species at risk across Indigenous lands and territories. It supports longstanding Indigenous leadership in stewarding land, water, animals, and plants, as well as meaningful participation in the implementation of the Species at Risk Act. For example:
- Wotstak First Nation's initiative will help develop the stewardship of species at risk by surveying, developing strategies incorporating Indigenous Knowledge, and enabling community members to have an active leadership role as Indigenous Guardians for species at risk.
- Olokhaktomiut Hunter's and Trapper's Committee's initiative will help maintain a monitoring program for the Species at Risk Act-listed Dolphin and Union Caribou. This will include training on sample collection, studying the long-term health of the Dolphin and Union Caribou populations, and contributing valuable Inuit Knowledge that will be used to inform Dolphin and Union Caribou conservation in areas around Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories.
- The Otipemisiwak Métis Government will contribute to species recovery of at-risk bumble bees and Barn Swallows in Central Alberta. This project will involve non-lethal population monitoring for at-risk bumble bees, such as the Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee and the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, the installation and monitoring of a Barn Swallow nesting structure, the installation of species-at-risk interpretive signage, and citizen-focused interpretive programming on a Métis-led Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA).
By working in partnership, the Government of Canada, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are making meaningful progress with recovering species at risk and protecting their habitats.
