Increase the proportion of Canada's marine and coastal areas that are protected to five percent by 2017, and ten percent by 2020.

What success looks like

Five per cent of Canada's marine and coastal areas are protected by 2017, and 10 per cent by 2020, protecting important habitats, maintaining and promoting tourism, and helping with climate change adaptation.

Government's narrative on progress

In October 2017, the government achieved its commitment to protect 5% of Canada's marine and coastal areas by 2017. In December 2017, seven new marine refuges were established off the coasts of Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador, which contributed an additional 145,598 square km of protected ocean area to Canada’s coasts. The government is on track to achieve the 10% target by 2020, with 7.92% of Canada’s ocean conserved as of March 6, 2019. In November 2016, the Government of Canada announced the designation of the Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam Marine Protected Area (MPA). In February 2017, the government announced the designation of the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reefs MPA. In May 2017, a Large Offshore Pacific Area of Interest off the coast of British Columbia was announced, with the intention of making it one of Canada's largest MPAs by 2020. In June 2017, the government announced the designation of St. Anns Bank MPA. In August 2017, the federal government, Nunavut and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association together announced an agreement on the final boundary and interim protection of the new Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in Lancaster Sound -- the largest protected area ever established in Canada. An agreement in principle, signed in October 2018 by the Government of Canada and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, covers agreed-upon elements of the required Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for Tallurutiup Imanga and states that both parties intend to work with the Government of Nunavut to initiate feasibility assessments for new protected areas in the High Arctic Basin, part of the “Last Ice Area.” In June 2018, the Scott Islands Protected Marine Area Regulations were published and, in September 2018, the government announced the establishment of the Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area, Canada’s first marine area under the *Canada Wildlife Act*. To further support Canada’s marine conservation efforts, Shell Canada also announced, on September 13, 2018, its intent to voluntarily release nearly 50,000 square km of exploratory oil and gas permits off the coast of British Columbia. On March 6, 2019, the government announced a new Marine Protected Area in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area is the first project carried out under the Canada-Quebec Collaborative Agreement to establish a Marine Protected Area network in Quebec, and it is intended to encourage productivity and diversity of fisheries resources as well as the recovery of marine species at risk. Additional areas are also being pursued for protection. On March 22, 2018, the government announced the establishment of two new Areas of Interest (Fundian Channel-Browns Bank and Eastern Shore Islands) and a proposed conservation area (Eastern Canyons) in the Scotian Shelf Bioregion. In addition, the government allocated funding towards exploring with Indigenous and Northern partners the protection of the High Arctic. In September 2017, Canada signed a statement of intent with the Nunatsiavut government, committing to work together on marine planning in Labrador's offshore area. Canada has developed science-based criteria for other effective area-based conservation measures that contribute to marine conservation targets. Fisheries area closures that meet these criteria, known as marine refuges, have been established throughout Canada's oceans to protect important species and ecosystem features. The government will continue working with its partners to enhance the protection of Canada’s oceans. The Government of Canada has proposed amendments to the *Oceans Act* to create a new authority to designate an interim MPA through ministerial order and to update existing enforcement officer powers and fines provisions. Amendments are also proposed to the *Canada Petroleum Resources Act* to allow for orders prohibiting oil and gas activities in designated *Oceans Act* MPAs. The proposed amendments would also allow for negotiations for the relinquishment of oil and gas rights that overlap *Oceans Act* MPAs. These amendments were informed by engagement with Indigenous peoples, provinces and territories, and stakeholders. A National Advisory Panel was established to gather perspectives and offer recommendations to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard on categories and associated protection standards for federal MPAs, using International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidance as a baseline. The Panel also considered Indigenous approaches and governance with respect to marine conservation, including the evolving concept of Indigenous Protected Areas. The Panel presented its recommendations in a final report to the Minister in September, which was publicly released on October 16, 2018.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.