Ontario funds protection of 200,000+ acres of taiga forest and peatlands

What happened

• The province is providing $2 million through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership to support the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Taiga Forest and Peatlands project.

By the numbers

• Area to be protected: more than 200,000 acres (81,000 hectares).
• Provincial Greenlands support now exceeds $60 million.
• Since 2020, the Greenlands program has helped protect over 637,000 acres (~258,000 hectares) across Ontario.

Why it matters

• The protected lands include boreal forest, wetlands and peatlands that store carbon and help protect water.
• The project is described as one of the largest private land conservation opportunities in the province and is intended to provide environmental and community benefits for future generations.

Where and when

• Location: northern Ontario.
• Funding: included in the 2026 Ontario Budget and delivered through the Greenlands program.

Who is involved

• Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) via the Greenlands Conservation Partnership.