Build Back Biodiversity By Protecting Gatineau Park

Today is the International Day for Biodiversity and this year’s theme is “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity.”

In December, Canada took to the global stage to show environmental and climate leadership by signing onto the Kunming-Montreal Agreement at COP15 in Montreal, agreeing to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. This includes conserving 30% of land and waters by 2030, and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and recognizing contributions of Indigenous and traditional territories towards this goal.

This win for people and the planet needs a whole-of-government approach to achieve these ambitious goals. Governments at all levels must act together to protect biodiversity and support climate action to build on the momentum gained at COP15.

Granting Gatineau Park legislative protection is a key opportunity to help achieve these goals.

Gatineau Park is the largest near-urban park in the Ottawa Valley. This iconic landscape stretches across more than 361 km², and can be accessed from downtown Ottawa-Gatineau.

Gatineau Park has the greatest diversity of habitats of any park in Quebec and is home to the largest number of endangered species of any park in the province. Gatineau Park is home to 90 endangered plant and 50 endangered animal species, all of which depend on it for food, mating, and survival.

In March 2023, Pontiac Member of Parliament, Sophie Chatel, rose in the House of Commons to present an initial batch of 600 signatures on our petition to protect Gatineau Park. While the government is beginning to recognize the importance of protecting this iconic landscape, Gatineau Park still needs your help.

Urbanization and development threaten to destroy this vital habitat for species at risk. This includes habitat fragmentation, shrinking the size of the park in terms of its value to species. This can force larger animals, such as moose, to enter suburban Gatineau, putting themselves and community members at risk.

Tell the government species at risk and biodiversity can’t wait any longer for Gatineau Park to become “a real park.”

Build back biodiversity in the Ottawa Valley by signing our petition calling on the federal government to grant Gatineau Park legislative protection, including boundaries set in an Act of Parliament.