Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support Motion No. 15, moved by my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi and which I am pleased to co-sponsor, calling on the government to examine ways of improving tax incentives for ecological gifts and to establish tax parity between in-kind donations of land and monetary donations to conservation organizations.
There is a very important principle behind this motion, that of empowering people to protect nature. That is important because Canada has a lot of natural capital. Our country is home to 20% of the world's freshwater reserves, 37% of the world's lakes, 25% of the world's wetlands and 24% of the world's boreal forests. We also have one of the longest coastlines and one of the largest maritime territories in the world. Our natural habitats are home to approximately 80,000 species.
Canada has committed to protecting 30% of our land and oceans by 2030. This commitment is part of the global biodiversity framework adopted in Montreal in 2022 and represents one of the most ambitious environmental objectives of our time. To meet it, we must adopt a whole-of-society approach based on innovation and close co-operation. That includes the participation of indigenous peoples, several federal departments and agencies, all levels of government, industry, environmental organizations, philanthropic organizations and private landowners.
This objective does not depend solely on the government. The reality across Canada is clear: A large proportion of the natural habitats with the greatest biodiversity is found on private land. Whether it be forests, wetlands, rivers or natural grasslands, a significant proportion of these ecosystems belongs to citizens, families, farmers and businesses. In other words, the success our our national commitment also depends on the willing participation of these landowners. That is precisely where ecological gifts come into play.
Through the ecological gifts program, landowners can donate land or a conservation easement to a recognized organization to ensure that the natural environment is permanently protected. In return, they receive a tax benefit that recognizes the value of this gesture. This program is one of the most effective conservation tools available to Canada. Since 2007, it has helped protect over 800,000 hectares of natural areas across the country, an area comparable to the size of Prince Edward Island. These lands include old-growth forests, essential habitats for species at risk, wetlands that filter water and natural landscapes that shape the identity of many communities across the country. With the help of this program, every hectare protected helps to preserve our natural heritage and safeguard our collective future, because natural ecosystems play a role in filtering our water and purifying our air. They store carbon and help mitigate climate change. Our natural ecosystems also support pollination, which is essential to food production, and they reduce the risk of floods and droughts.
The positive impacts of natural ecosystems are estimated to be worth more than $30 billion annually in Canada, representing an immense asset to our society. Protecting natural environments is therefore not just an environmental issue. It is also a smart economic decision. Nature-based solutions, such as protecting forests, wetlands and watersheds, are among the most effective and cost-effective ways to strengthen our communities' resilience to climate change. Investments in ecological restoration also generate significant economic benefits. In other words, protecting nature is not a barrier to development, but rather an investment in a sustainable future.
Ecological gifts are a perfect example of this logic. When a landowner decides to make an ecological gift, they voluntarily give up a significant portion of the market value of their property so that the land can be protected in perpetuity.
This turns a private asset into a public asset. It does so without the government having to purchase the land or immediately assume the costs of acquiring it. It is a great example of collaboration among citizens, conservation organizations and governments.
However, for this model to work, it must be adequately supported. Today, while the ecological gifts program remains an exemplary tool, many aspects of the tax framework have not been modernized in over two decades. Motion No. 15 therefore poses a simple but essential question: How can we adapt our tax incentives to encourage more Canadians to participate in this collective effort?
The first part of this question has to do with land donations themselves. For example, enhancing tax credits for ecological gifts could encourage more landowners to take that next step and speed up the creation of protected areas on private lands.
The motion also highlights another issue, which is the funding of conservation organizations. These organizations play a key role in protecting natural environments. They conduct biological inventories, manage sites, conduct ecological restoration and ensure long-term monitoring of protected lands. In other words, they turn a gift of land into a true, sustainable conservation project. Their work relies heavily on private and philanthropic contributions.
Monetary donations are used to fund essential activities like scientific studies, legal fees, conservation easement acquisitions, habitat restoration, ecological monitoring and community engagement. Without these resources, effectively protecting and managing donated land becomes much more difficult.
Today, however, tax incentives for monetary donations to support conservation are still relatively limited. Motion No. 15 proposes to examine the possibility of instituting tax parity between land donations and monetary donations made to conservation organizations. This idea is based on a recognition that these two types of contribution are complementary. Land donations help protect natural environments, while monetary donations help ensure that these environments are protected and managed over the long term. Each depends on the other to fully function.
Creating tax parity between these two forms of philanthropy would strengthen Canada's entire voluntary conservation system, with potentially significant benefits. National analyses show that every dollar invested in conservation can generate considerably more in economic, social and environmental benefits. For some conservation programs, one government dollar is estimated to attract at least one dollar of private funds, thereby creating a significant leverage effect. Supporting environmental philanthropy is therefore one example of a highly profitable public investment that we can make.
It is also important to note that ecological gifts are not limited to large estates. Many donations come from rural families, farmers, or citizens who wish to protect a wooded area, a marsh, or a lake that is part of their family history. These landowners are not seeking a financial benefit. They wish to leave a legacy. The tax credit is therefore not a gift. It simply recognizes the actual loss of asset value incurred by the donor when they choose to protect land rather than sell or develop it. The true beneficiaries of these donations are all of the members of our communities.
As I mentioned, protected lands have significant environmental benefits, particularly in terms of drinking water filtration. They support biodiversity, mitigate the effects of climate change and provide natural spaces that contribute to the quality of life in communities. These contributions represent collective benefits that extend far beyond the land itself. Motion No. 15 aims to better recognize this contribution.
By supporting this motion, we are not merely creating a tax mechanism. We are sending a clear message: that voluntary conservation is an integral part of the solution for protecting biodiversity in Canada.
We also recognize the vital role played by citizens, conservation organizations, local communities and indigenous peoples in protecting the land. The green transition cannot be carried out by governments alone. It must be the result of a collective effort. That is precisely what my colleague's motion proposes. It calls on us to strengthen a model that is already working, a model based on generosity, collaboration and shared responsibility for our natural heritage.
I want to emphasize that protecting nature is not a luxury. It is a necessity for the health of our ecosystems, the resilience of our communities and the well-being of future generations. Every protected forest, every protected river and every restored wetland is an investment in our future. Every act of voluntary conservation deserves to be recognized and encouraged.
With Motion No. 15, we have an opportunity to strengthen these actions. It proposes a pragmatic, balanced and effective approach to accelerate the protection of natural environments in Canada.
For all these reasons, I invite my colleagues to support this motion. Protecting nature means protecting our future. The decisions we make today will shape the land we leave for future generations.
In closing, I want to congratulate my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for his leadership on this file.