WCS Canada Responds to AAFC Sustainable Agriculture Strategy Consultation
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is developing a Sustainable Agriculture Strategy for the country, and has invited input from interested groups by way of a set of questions posed in a Discussion document. Here we provide our answers to those questions. The environmental scope of this Strategy obviously goes well beyond wildlife and wildlife habitat, to include water quality and quantity, pollution, agrochemicals, and climate change. We have focussed on the need for the Strategy to deal with conservation imperatives in the north where agriculture is expanding, taking into consideration our recently published Beneficial Management Practices for species at risk, and the pest control and pollination services they and other species provide. We also advocate for clear incorporation of numerous Goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework recently signed at COP-15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Risks and opportunities for biodiversity conservation in the context of agriculture are frequently referenced in those Goals.
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Wildlife Conservation Society Canada comments on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy
We were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Here we offer high-level comments in support of the strong role that can and should be played by the federal government in promoting truly sustainable development in Canada. In light of the fact that the Federal Sustainable Development Act compels the federal government to establish environmental goals, targets and set implementation strategies for each target, we are encouraged by the focus of the document on all 17 SDGs, rather than the subset of “environmentally-focused” SDGs that were covered in the 2019-2021 strategy.
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WCS Canada Comments _Science & Research Parliamentary Committee Submission re Study on Top Talent, Research and Innovation_April 2022
WCS Canada provides comments to the Science & Research Parliamentary Committee regarding their Study on Top talent, research and innovation. This letter highlights the critical role of civil society scientists and the limited opportunities currently available to them through the Tri-Council pathways to advance science partnerships. We share some of the current opportunities and challenges we face in advancing scientific research to improve conservation outcomes that address government commitments and priorities for the environment and Indigenous Peoples. Finally, we provide recommendations on ways Canada can more fully integrate civil society science as crucial components of the “research ecosystem” in this country as a means of encouraging and retaining top talent on research and innovation.
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WCS Canada Comments - Amendments to Migratory Bird Regulations - July 2019
WCS Canada staff provide recommendations, including, 1) developing clear and comprehensive guidelines for inclusion of species on Schedule 1, 2) expansion of species included on Schedule 1 based on scientific evidence of nest reuse, and 3) the development of a regulatory framework to manage the incidental take of active nests in Canada.
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WCS Canada Comments - NSERC's New Research Partnership Program Review - October 2018
WCS Canada staff provided feedback on the NSERC’s redesigned Research Partnerships Program.
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