Protecting Canada’s oceans by 2025 and beyond
Whether you live next to the ocean or not, oceans play a key role in our lives. They feed us, create jobs in our communities, and sustain life itself by producing over half the oxygen we breathe.
Healthy oceans are critical to fighting climate change and protecting marine life. That’s why Canada has committed to conserving 25% of our marine and coastal areas by 2025 and 30% by 2030.
We're not doing it alone.
Provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, marine industries, environmental organizations and academia are working with us to help reach these ambitious targets.
There are plenty of actions you can take too.
Our oceans need us. See how you can help.
What we've done
As of January 2023, Canada has protected 14.66% of its oceans, totaling 842,822 km². We did this through:
- the Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- National Wildlife Areas led by Environment and Climate Change Canada
- National Marine Conservation Areas led by the Parks Canada Agency
- other effective area-based conservation measures
What we are doing now
The plan for reaching our new marine conservation targets is well underway. Our work remains grounded in science, traditional Indigenous knowledge, and local perspectives.
Find out more about our path to 2025 and how our partners and stakeholders are helping us get there.
Protecting oceans and species
We have ambitious marine conservation targets to protect oceans and species.
What we are doing
Latest news
- QIA Signs AIP to Advance the Qikiqtani-Project Finance for Permanence Project
- Government of Canada on track to meet its 2025 and 2030 Marine Conservation Targets
- First marine refuge within the Northern Shelf Bioregion is established
- Government of Canada and coastal First Nations announce progress to protect a large ecologically unique ocean area off the Pacific West Coast
- The Government of Canada invests in world-class ocean monitoring system to enhance Canada's ocean protection for the next generation
- Protecting more nature in partnership with Indigenous Peoples
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