Protecting our Environmental Heritage

Canada’s North is home to some of the world’s most spectacular scenery, unique wildlife and pristine wilderness. However, the North also has fragile and unique ecosystems which are being affected by the impacts of climate change.

Canada is taking a comprehensive approach to the protection of environmentally sensitive lands and waters in our North, ensuring conservation keeps pace with development and that development decisions are based on sound science and careful assessment. As part of this effort, the Government has enhanced pollution prevention legislation in Arctic waters and is taking steps to clean up abandoned mine sites across the North.

Canada is already at the forefront of several international efforts to study the impacts on both the Arctic and Antarctic of a changing climate, and is investing to help Northerners adapt to these impacts. Canada made one of the largest single contributions of any country to International Polar Year 2007-2008, the largest-ever global program dedicated to polar research. To improve the capacity of research facilities in Canada’s North, the Government established the Arctic Research Infrastructure Fund and is taking concrete action to realize its commitment to establish a world-class research station in the high Arctic.