The Delineation and Connectivity Enhancements of an Ecological Corridor in the Sault Ste. Marie and Garden River National Priority Area project is one of nine ecological corridor projects being funded in part by Parks Canada across the country

November 22, 2024                        Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario                Parks Canada

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, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, 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 nearly $6 million in funding announced earlier today to support nine 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.

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