Canada’s Arctic and Atlantic waters support globally important wildlife and ecosystems, as well as the cultures and livelihoods of Indigenous and coastal communities. These environments face growing pressures from climate change, shipping and industrial development, making long-term protection increasingly important.

Since 2021, Becht Foundation has supported Oceans North in its work with Indigenous governments, coastal communities and public agencies to advance marine conservation. Over this period, Oceans North and its partners have helped progress new protections and strengthen existing protections across more than 860,000 km² of marine and coastal habitat.

We have renewed our support as Oceans North continues working with its partners to advance community-led marine protection and help Canada meet its commitment to protect 30% of its waters by 2030. The next phase will focus on progressing protected areas already under development, identifying further opportunities for conservation and supporting wider measures to safeguard Canada’s northern marine ecosystems.

This work will help ensure that marine protection is informed by science and Indigenous knowledge, supports local stewardship and delivers lasting benefits for biodiversity and communities.