By Talha Awan

February 9, 2026

The federal government’s forthcoming plan to implement Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy, developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada, is an opportunity to align public spending with nature-positive outcomes and magnify the impact of Canada’s investments.

As we’ve learned among the many lessons of 21st-century governance, when done strategically, public spending on infrastructure, natural-resource development and job creation can deliver economic and social benefits to Canadians without jeopardizing our immense natural capital.

Introduced in 2024, the Nature Strategy outlines how the federal government plans to fulfill its commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Its goals are broad and ambitious, including implementing natural climate solutions, supporting Indigenous-led conservation and restoring degraded lands.

Meeting these goals matters not only for protecting biodiversity, but also because healthy ecosystems underpin economic prosperity. They provide essential services, such as food production and water filtration, and reduce climate-related risks like flooding and wildfires, lowering long-term costs to public infrastructure, health and disaster recovery.

Like all investments, this one comes with a price tag. The Green Budget Coalition estimates that achieving the Nature Strategy’s goals will require around $5.5 billion in public investment by 2030. But not all this investment needs to be new or exclusively nature-focused, and much of it can come from existing spending commitments.

Using Budget 2025 as an example—which announced $280 billion in funding over five years for new infrastructure, climate competitiveness and enhanced productivity, among other aims—here are three ways planned investments in infrastructure, resource development and job creation can also advance the Nature Strategy’s goals.

Amplifying infrastructure funding

The Build Communities Strong Fund, announced in Budget 2025, allocates $6 billion over 10 years for regionally significant developments, including projects that help communities manage climate impacts. Natural climate solutions, like restoring wetlands to reduce flooding, are often more cost-effective and provide better co-benefits than “grey” infrastructure like flood walls.

The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation reported that, in Hamilton, Ont., restored wetlands costing just over $15 million—$13.2 million less than an engineered alternative—reduced flood risk and provided recreation services valued at more than $44 million (2019 CAD). That’s a 3:1 return on investment, plus a savings of 46%, all while improving quality of life.

Such projects show how nature can act as valuable infrastructure, helping communities reduce costs and build resilience to climate impacts.

Indigenous-led conservation

Indigenous leadership in conservation is a central element of the Nature Strategy. The Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor, proposed in Budget 2025, signals federal support for collaborative land-use planning between the B.C. government and several First Nations advancing Indigenous-led conservation.

Four conservation areas proposed or declared by four First Nations, covering roughly 7 million hectares—nearly the size of New Brunswick—are in late stages of negotiation.

They are part of land-use plans aiming to balance protecting sensitive ecosystems, including caribou calving grounds and salmon-rich watersheds, with potential resource extraction, including gold and critical minerals.

If established, these conservation areas would advance the Nature Strategy’s target of protecting 30% of lands by 2030 and provide numerous other benefits. In addition to supporting higher levels of biodiversity, Indigenous-led conservation can seed conservation economies by fostering new businesses such as eco-tourism, and creating culturally relevant jobs, such as environmental monitoring.

Returns on investment in Indigenous-led conservation can be substantial. A case study of Guardians programs in the Northwest Territories found that sustained investment, primarily by territorial and federal governments, in year-round stewardship generated $2.50 in economic, cultural and environmental benefits for every dollar spent.

With additional investment in environmental monitoring and establishing conservation areas that support local economic opportunities, returns could rise to $3.70 per dollar.

Delivering these outcomes will depend on several factors.

Recommendations from the Indigenous Circle of Experts suggest that federal support is most effective when it reinforces Indigenous decision-making authority and consent, strengthens long-term stewardship capacity—such as providing sustained funding for Indigenous Guardians—and supports coordination across federal, provincial and Indigenous governments.

Job creation through ecosystem restoration

Nature-based employment can advance multiple policy objectives at once. The 2025 budget committed $40 million for a Youth Climate Corps, offering paid training in responding to climate emergencies, supporting recovery and strengthening climate resilience.

By providing training on natural climate solutions that build resilience, the program could also support the Nature Strategy’s targets to restore ecosystems, recover endangered species and better manage protected areas.

Workforce initiatives that link nature and climate objectives can deliver meaningful returns for local economies. While active, Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program created 103 full-time jobs annually and contributed almost $13 million to the province’s annual GDP.

For every $1.80 invested, an estimated $19.85 in ecosystem service value was generated through benefits such as improved water regulation and carbon sequestration.

From strategy to outcomes

Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy reflects nature’s foundational role in Canada’s economy and identity, but its success will depend on sustained investment.

As the examples above show, aligning Budget 2025 investments with the Nature Strategy can deliver measurable economic and social benefits.

Without that alignment, Canada risks both falling short of its biodiversity commitments and missing opportunities to make public dollars work more effectively.

The strategy’s implementation plan will be a critical test of whether Canada can translate ambition into outcomes.

Talha Awan is a Research Associate at the Smart Prosperity Institute, a policy think tank and global research network focused on the environment and the economy.