Dare to be Deep

As a country, our connection to the ocean runs deep. We live in a place with the longest coastlines on the planet. Yet less than 1% of Canada’s ocean territory is protected through meaningful long-term conservation measures. The Big Wild is working with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) to ensure 12 proposed marine areas are protected.

The government needs to speed up progress on marine protection if we are going to meet our international commitment to protect 10% of our coastal and marine resources by 2020. Completing Canada’s network of marine protected areas in the next seven years is necessary for the future well-being of our oceans, economy and communities. It’s entirely achievable; but it will take a stronger commitment from all levels of government. So far, over 13,000 people have signed the pledge to support advancing marine conservation in Canada. That's more than 1,000 voices for every proposed new marine protected area.

How Do We Know Which 12 Habitats Need Immediate Protection?

The federal government made a commitment to establish networks of marine protected areas in all of our oceans by 2012. While that promise wasn't kept, Canada can still make progress by creating 12 new marine protected areas and establishing networks of MPAs in all of our oceans. All of these sites are recognized for their importance in nurturing sea life based on science and research.