WWF-Canada Policy Brief (Restoration and Recovery)

Policy Brief:

WWF-CANADA RESTORATION AND RECOVERY INITIATIVE

For more information contact: Mary MacDonald SVP & Chief Conservation Officer, WWF-Canada t: 416-484-7701 e: mmacdonald@wwfcanada.org

With good reason, the federal government is investing heavily in the Canadian economy in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. However, as the government invests more to create jobs, it is essential that these initiatives put Canada on the path to a more sustainable and resilient economy that keeps the environment as a top priority.

THE CANADIAN OPPORTUNITY

THE WWF DIFFERENCE

Canada holds almost one third of the world’s intact nature and significant human-dominated freshwater, coastal and terrestrial ecosystems. With broad public and political support in place for directing significant funds toward rebuilding the economy, there is a unique opportunity for the Government of Canada to respond to biodiversity loss and climate change while also creating meaningful employment. Based on WWF-Canada’s community action experience, a $50 million investment could create between 5,000 and 7,500 seasonal restoration jobs per year, and deliver a cleaner and greener economy.

As Canada’s largest international conservation organization, WWF-Canada has deep insights into what it takes to support the restoration and recovery of nature in Canada. Our extensive network of corporate and ground-level partners stretches from large cities to remote Indigenous communities, allowing us to invest directly in impactful projects with local partners across the country.

Through national initiatives like the Loblaw Water Fund, STREAM environmental DNA program, Go Wild Community grants, and the Living Planet @ Campus project, WWF-Canada brings together a broad range of actors, from Indigenous and local communities to major Canadian corporations to philanthropic foundations.

RESTORATION AND HABITAT IMPROVEMENT Over the past 5 years, WWF-Canada and its generous partners have committed to:

10 restoration and habitat improvement programs

$10 million in contributions for restoration

1 million actions taken in communities throughout Canada

AN INITIATIVE TO CREATE JOBS AND RESTORE NATURE

© Antonella Lombardi

To maximize benefits to people and nature from government stimulus funds, WWF-Canada will roll out a three-part program focused on restoration and recovery of nature. When implemented together, these phases can result in more green jobs and better environmental health.

Restoration efforts, no matter how small, can have a significant effect on community, wildlife, and climate, particularly in areas experiencing major disruption or destruction. Although volunteer support for restoration and recovery activities is important, creating seasonal employment through direct restoration work and maintenance strategies, would accelerate restoration benefits and contribute to local economies.

PHASE 1 — COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF SCIENCE AND INDIGENOUS GUIDANCE AND KNOWLEDGE

PHASE 2 — OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE DATABASE TO TRACK ONGOING RESTORATION EFFORTS IN REAL TIME

PHASE 3 — $50 MILLION FUND TO SUPPORT RESTORATION AND RECOVERY

• d etermines where and how this program can have the strongest long-term benefits • built on research by government and academia and on Indigenous guidance

• a llows individuals, communities, and businesses to register their restoration efforts as they happen through a userfriendly interface • provides ongoing analysis and mapping

• t he initiative’s most critical phase • opportunity is timelimited to enable shovelready and shovel-worthy projects in the near term: 2020–22 • to be co-delivered by WWF-Canada and the Government of Canada

and knowledge

EXPECTED RESULT: Comprehensive, inclusive, peer-reviewed analysis that will be used in evaluating projects submitted to other elements of the program.

of associated data

EXPECTED RESULT: Progress shared on a national scale to maximize collaboration and outcomes.

EXPECTED RESULT: 5,000 to 7,500 seasonal restoration jobs each year.

BUILDING ON EXPERIENCE TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT The Canada Nature Fund Challenge in Budget 2018 provides a model to maximize the impact of this new restoration and recovery initiative. Leveraging federal funding against provincial and territorial government investments, in addition to support from corporate and philanthropic sectors, will multiply our capacity even further.

To direct these new funds to shovel-ready and shovel-worthy projects, $50 million should be delivered jointly between the Government of Canada and WWF-Canada. Initiatives like the Endangered Species Recovery Fund have proven WWF-Canada’s ability to deliver this kind of programming successfully. WWF-Canada commits to dedicate at least $10 million of internal funds over the first three years of the initiative. © 1986 Panda Symbol WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund). ® “WWF” is a WWF Registered Trademark