Thank you, Mr. Chair.
On behalf of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, thank you to the members of the committee for inviting us to present today.
I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to appear before you to discuss the $20 million allocated in this year's budget, funding that will assist the Nature Conservancy of Canada to continue delivery of the natural areas conservation program. We thank the government for its continued support of the program. This investment demonstrates the government's confidence in our ability to deliver results efficiently and effectively.
In the brief time I have before you this afternoon, I'd like to tell you about, first, the impact of the natural areas conservation program; second, the conservation results we'll deliver with the new allocation of $20 million; and finally, our vision for a sustained future for the natural areas conservation program.
The natural areas conservation program is a Canadian success story. Launched in 2007 with an initial investment by the Government of Canada of $225 million, it is the largest commitment by any Canadian government to the conservation of natural spaces through the protection of private lands.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has been proud to lead the program, working closely with partners across the country. Through the power of partnership, we have leveraged federal funding. Working with our partners at Ducks Unlimited Canada and 17 local land trusts, we have more than matched every dollar of federal money with funding from other sources.
Our donors and partners enjoy knowing that their contributions provide a multiplier effect toward our common mission of land conservation.
The program set ambitious goals at the time: to conserve 500,000 acres of ecologically sensitive land across the country. To date, it has more than surpassed those goals, having conserved more than 835,000 acres and supported habitat for over 140 species at risk. And we're not done yet.
The program is delivering measurable results and maximum value for the taxpayer dollar. The Nature Conservancy of Canada achieves those results through market-based approaches. We're in the business of building positive relationships with the public and private sectors. We work only with willing landowners to achieve results that are mutually beneficial, and we are constantly looking to provide opportunities for private sector partners who are keen on sustainable development.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada's work is mainly focused on southern Canada, where private ownership dominates the landscape. This is where 90% of Canadians live, work, and play, and where you also find more than 80% of terrestrial and freshwater species at risk. These are some of the most economically and ecologically important lands in the nation.
Despite the challenges of working to conserve a natural environment faced with competing demands for human settlement, economic growth, and outdoor recreation, we've been successful because we recognize that Canada needs both environmental conservation and development.
The natural areas conservation program is a model that is well regarded because it focuses on win-win solutions for the environment and the economy.
The $20 million allocated in the budget will help us to extend the natural areas conservation program for another year. We will continue to leverage the program with the target of raising an additional $2 for every $1 of federal funds allocated. Our conservation planning is already under way, and with this renewed funding we will conserve at least another 50,000 acres of federally and provincially significant lands, including native grasslands, wetlands, forests, and coastlines. We will expand our network of protected habitats for species at risk and engage more Canadians in communities across the country in the mission of conserving our natural heritage.
An independent evaluation completed in June 2012 concluded that the natural areas conservation program was delivered effectively and efficiently. It also concluded that there is a demonstrable need to promote private land conservation in southern Canada.
The $20 million extension provided in this budget is an important step toward continuing to meet that need, but there is much more to be done. Working together, the public and private sectors can achieve great results in protecting our natural heritage through the framework of the natural areas conservation program, and we believe that the impact of the program will continue to be of great value to all Canadians.
To that end, we encourage the government to consider the longer-term recapitalization of the natural areas conservation program. We also request that the committee approve this budget provision. The investment you make in the natural areas conservation program today will pay dividends for years to come.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.