Christianne Wilhelmson writes about how Indigenous-led conservation is the key to Canada’s ecological future—uniting sustainability, reconciliation, and resilience in the face of uncertainty.
We are living in a time of great uncertainty. Political instability, economic anxiety, and a rapidly shifting global landscape dominate the headlines. Closer to home, Canada is navigating a complex transition as governments are balancing national and economic sovereignty against the policies of the new U.S. administration. Yet, amid this turbulence, an even greater crisis persists: the accelerating loss of biodiversity and the existential threat of climate change.
But as is often the case, in difficult moments there are beacons of hope. In February, the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories (GNWT) announced a new Nature Agreement (NA) in support of Indigenous-led conservation. The federal government also signed the SINAA Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, further supporting durable, large-scale Indigenous-led conservation efforts. With the Great Bear Sea PFP signed in 2024, we can see a shift in conservation happening.
Indigenous-led conservation gains momentum
These collaborative agreements stem from the federal government’s 2022 commitment to invest up to $800 million in up to four large-scale, Indigenous-led conservation PFPs. These are financial mechanisms designed to secure long-term, sustainable funding for conservation projects from multiple funding sources. In addition, there are NAs, which are formal agreements between governments and other stakeholders to commit to specific conservation targets.
What makes the PFP model part of a growing structural shift is it is co-developed with Indigenous leadership, embraces a large-scale vision, and provides both financial and policy support for long-term success. Unlike many short-term political commitments, these agreements span at least a decade, offering stability and accountability.
A milestone for the NWT
Building on the NWT: Our Land for the Future PFP signed in 2024, the NWT Nature Agreement sees Canada and GNWT committing to protect 6 per cent of the territory by 2028, and up to 9.6 per cent by 2035. This builds on the 15.8 per cent of NWT land and water already under conservation. In addition to expanding Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), the agreement prioritizes protecting key at-risk species, including barren-ground caribou and wood bison, ensuring that their critical habitats receive the attention they desperately need. Together, the NA and PFP represent over $380 million in investment from government and non-governmental sources—the largest single investment in Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship in NWT’s history – creating a collaborative framework to protect biodiversity, strengthen conservation-based economies, and enhance the long-term social and economic well-being of Indigenous communities.
Time for a national approach
While these collaborative Indigenous-led models and influx of funding are a cause for celebration, they also underscore the reality that we lack a strong, coordinated national approach to halting and reversing biodiversity loss one that centers nature and uplifts Indigenous law. Current biodiversity protection laws in Canada are piecemeal and inconsistent amongst jurisdictions.
To reach its international commitments, and set a path towards recovering biodiversity, Canada must pass legislation that prioritizes biodiversity protection across ministries, sets binding targets and commitments, has clear reporting mechanisms, and creates space for Indigenous law. The proposed Nature Accountability Act, a critical piece of legislation aimed at addressing the nation’s biodiversity crisis became entangled in the current political upheaval in Canada.
Indigenous leadership is the future
It is easy to feel disempowered in the face of environmental destruction and political uncertainty, but as we advocate for changes to Canadian law, these agreements show that there are different pathways to build the future we want when we support Indigenous-led conservation with funding, policy frameworks, and capacity-building. This is more than just environmental policy; it is a blueprint for reconciliation, economic resilience, and ecological justice.
Canada has an opportunity to lead the world in a new era of conservation—one that places Indigenous knowledge and law, long-term sustainability, and community well-being at its core. The path forward is clear.
