Protecting the environment is a top priority for our government. In a world that is fore-casted to contain more plastic in the world’s oceans than fish by 2050, our government committed to protecting 10% of Canada’s oceans by 2020, a goal we exceeded in 2019 with a total of nearly 14% of Canada’s oceans being protected. We followed up on that goal in 2019 by committing to protect 25% of Canada’s Oceans by 2025. Healthy marine ecosystems are needed to sustain our economy, our food supply, and our coastal communities, but the ocean is a shared resource that requires a global effort to ensure marine conservation.

As a next step in Canada’s commitment to ocean protections, yesterday Canada joined the Global Ocean Alliance which seeks to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.

"Our oceans provide a wealth of opportunity when approached from the position of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Canada is proud to join the Global Ocean Alliance, working alongside like-minded countries to advocate for our shared vision of sustainable, healthy oceans around the world. We have made exceptional progress on protecting our own waters, and it is time to move the goal post ahead and reach even farther. Canadians expect our government to be a global leader in environmental protection, and this partnership is another way we will use our voice, leadership, and resources to protect our oceans and make a difference around the world."

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

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