Shortchanging Canada's wildlife

Lack of funding is the root cause of the many threats facing Canada's national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries. The network contains about half as much land as our national parks system, yet it is maintained with less than one per cent of the national parks' budget. Under these conditions Environment Canada is unequipped to handle this crisis.

• Environment Canada lacks the staff to enforce basic environmental laws (Canadian Wildlife Act, Species at Risk Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act, Fisheries Act, and Canadian Environmental Protection Act) within its network.
• We are losing vital chances to expand this wildlife network. Private development is buying critical wildlife habitat because Environment Canada cannot afford to acquire these lands for the network. Government red tape and tax barriers further prevent the expansion of the network.
• Environment Canada lacks the legal tools to protect the ecological integrity of the network. New and updated laws and policies are needed to guide network management.
• Sites go unmanaged or are managed poorly due to lack of on-site staff. Similarly, scientific research and monitoring lack resources. Only five of Canada's 143 national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries have Environment Canada staff on site.
• Environment Canada is losing what little ability it has to provide Canadians with nature education at these sites and to foster partnerships with local community organizations that provide important services.Government spending on protected areas

(Dollars per hectare spending)

$62.44 — US national parks
$12.61 — US national wildlife refuges
$8.84 — Canadian national parks
$0.19 — Canadian national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries

The United States has ten times more national wildlife areas (which they call national wildlife refuges) than Canada. President Theodore Roosevelt created more refuges between 1903 and 1906 than the 51 national wildlife areas found in Canada today.