OTTAWA, Ontario, Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New peer-reviewed research released today by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is reframing how Canadians understand the value of nature, not only as something to protect, but as a public asset that could be one of the country’s strongest long-term investments.
The white paper finds that in 2023–24, every $1 spent by governments and non-profits in protected and conserved areas (PCAs) generated $3.62 in visitor spending. That visitor-driven economic activity contributed $10.9 billion to Canada’s GDP, supported 150,000 jobs, generated $6.6 billion in labour income, and returned $1.4 billion in tax revenue to governments through direct, indirect and induced impacts.
Most PCAs are located in rural and remote regions, and therefore, this economic activity plays an outsized role in supporting local economies, providing stable employment, diversifying regional economic bases, and contributing up to 1.6% of rural GDP nationally.
“This analysis helps put a value on something that has long been taken for granted,” said Jason Wong, lead author of the report. “Nature’s value extends far beyond what we can fully measure, but when you focus primarily on what we can quantify, the economic returns from protected and conserved areas are striking. This report shows that nature is already delivering real, sustained value to Canada’s economy, whether we account for it or not.”
Looking back over 15 years, the analysis shows that as public spending in protected parks increased by roughly 50%, tax revenues grew by up to 250%, alongside strong gains in GDP and labour income. The findings demonstrate that returns on investment in nature are persistent and long-term, continuing to accrue year after year as protected areas mature.
The research also highlights the enormous climate value of PCAs, which store immense amounts of carbon in the earth, the equivalent of emissions from 57.8 billion cars annually. In keeping this carbon out of the atmosphere, these areas hold $51.1 trillion worth of potential economic damages globally, reinforcing that PCAs function not only as environmental protection, but as both economic and climate infrastructure.
Canada has many PCAs that are in the early stages of establishment, meaning their full economic and fiscal benefits have yet to be realized. As these areas progress, and with stronger management and investment, the research suggests Canada’s returns from conservation are likely underrepresented in today’s figures. With federal public investment in nature set to expire on March 31, the report provides timely evidence that renewing this funding would be a sound and strategic investment.
Beyond economics, the white paper documents how protected areas strengthen the social fabric of communities, drawing on case studies from Gros Morne National Park, the Great Bear Rainforest, and the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park to show how conservation strengthens long-term community stability and local economies. The analysis also points to growing evidence of the health and well-being benefits linked to visiting PCAs, alongside Indigenous-led governance models that support economic opportunity, stewardship, and reconciliation.
“As the federal government prepares to advance its national Nature Plan, this research makes clear that conservation needs to be treated as a core pillar of economic and nation-building policy, rather than an afterthought,” said Chris Rider, CPAWS National Director, Conservation. “Canada is already generating enormous value from nature, but much of that value remains invisible in how we make decisions. Once it’s acknowledged, protecting land and ocean stops looking like a trade-off and starts looking like common sense.”
The report, Widely Enjoyed but Inadequately Valued, was prepared by CPAWS and peer-reviewed by leading economists and policy experts.
About the Report
Widely Enjoyed but Inadequately Valued: Understanding the Economic, Environmental, and Health Benefits of Canada’s Protected and Conserved Areas was prepared by CPAWS. Peer reviewers include the C.D. Howe Institute, Simon Fraser University, and experts in conservation and economics.
About CPAWS
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only charity dedicated to the protection of public land, freshwater and ocean with a strong national and regional presence across the country. Working in a way that respects the sovereignty and leadership of Indigenous nations, we are focused on conserving nature to respond to the dual crises of accelerated biodiversity loss and climate change. Our vision is that at least half of land, freshwater and ocean in Canada is permanently protected to sustain nature and people for current and future generations. For more information about CPAWS and the work we do to safeguard Canada’s natural heritage, visit cpaws.org. Join our community on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Donate today.
