Madam Chair, I'd like to thank all the witnesses for being here today.
When our government took office, less than 1% of our coastline was protected. Today, that number stands at nearly 15%—a tremendous improvement in very little time.
Thanks to a partnership between our government, Nature-Action Québec and the City of Rigaud, in my riding of Vaudreuil—Soulanges, we recently announced an initiative to protect 63 hectares of Rigaud Mountain.
In the main estimates, Environment and Climate Change Canada is seeking $319 million for nature conservation, an increase of around 7% over last year's main estimates.
Can you tell us how that additional money will help our government continue to advance nature conservation across the country and ensure a healthy future for generations to come?