Find a list of the goals and targets below and click on each target for more information.

In 2015, Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments (see note below) released the 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada in response to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity's Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its global Aichi Biodiversity Targets. This suite of four goals and nineteen targets reflects Canada's particular context and priorities for biodiversity conservation, and articulates the ways in which Canada will contribute to the achievement of the global Aichi Targets.

Canada's goals and targets encourage:

• Better land use planning management

• Environmentally sustainable management across sectors

• Improving information about biodiversity ecosystem services

• Raising awareness of biodiversity and encouraging participation in conservation

Where possible, the national targets and their indicators are aligned with the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators to ensure robust reporting over time.

Download a brochure of the 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets.

Working together to conserve biodiversity

The 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada were developed collaboratively by federal, provincial, and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and governments, with input from a diversity of stakeholder groups. The goals and targets build on the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy and Canada's Biodiversity Outcomes Framework. They are intended to encourage and promote collective action by all sectors of society.

In order to achieve their long-term biodiversity outcomes, federal, provincial, and territorial government developed the following set of medium-term goals and targets. These aspirational goals and targets describe results to be achieved through the collective efforts of a diversity of players both public and private whose actions and decisions have an impact on biodiversity. Governments need to do their part but cannot act alone.

Engaging Indigenous people, local communities, and others

Implementation of the goals and targets relies on meaningful, full and effective participation of Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. In this respect, while Indigenous traditional knowledge and customary use of biological resources are specifically highlighted under targets 12 and 15, the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous communities are relevant for implementing all of Canada’s biodiversity goals and targets, as is protecting and encouraging customary use of biological resources compatible with their conservation and sustainable use.

Local communities, urban and regional governments, business and industry, conservation and stewardship groups, educational and scientific institutions and citizens are also all able to contribute. Canadians are invited to commit to doing their part and to share the results of their efforts.

Measuring progress

All Parties to the CBD, including Canada, are required to report regularly on progress towards meeting the objectives of their national biodiversity strategies and action plans. Canada prepared and submitted its 6th National Report to the CBD on November 9, 2018. Canada then produced a Summary of Canada’s 6th National Report in 2019.

This report does not fall under the reporting requirements of the CBD but provides a final assessment of Canada’s progress towards its 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets. This final assessment highlights the relevant data and indicators for each of Canada’s targets and provides recent examples of activities and programs at all levels – federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous and community-led – that contribute to conserving and restoring biodiversity. The progress assessment of each target is with reference to the 10-year period since the establishment of the global Aichi Biodiversity Targets. However, the available indicators and data often do not coincide with the beginning and end of the period and are thus used as estimates of overall progress.

Note: Québec acknowledges the 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada, but develops its own instruments to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity and to contribute to the achievement of the Aichi Targets. Québec sets its own conservation priorities and timelines, and collaborates with the federal government and the provinces and territories where necessary.