The Government of Canada invests over $14.4 million to empower young Canadians to address climate change and support a healthy environment
Press Release
From: Environment and Climate Change Canada
July 22, 2025
From protecting our wildlife to conserving our forested areas, young Canadians play a big part in tackling climate change. Still, they can be better equipped to do so through enhanced access to resources and environmental education. We are committed to providing young people with the knowledge and skills to create sustainable solutions to environmental challenges as we work toward a clean, net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced that the Government of Canada is investing over $14.4 million from the Environmental Damages Fund’s Climate Action and Awareness Fund to support 17 environmental literacy projects across Canada. These projects will develop the tools and skills young Canadians need as they work toward solutions to fight climate change.
The Minister announced the funding in Vancouver while visiting one of the funding recipients, BC Parks Foundation. They are receiving $1.8 million to develop the environmental literacy and leadership of young Canadians in British Columbia. This project will provide opportunities for students across the province to learn about and take positive steps to mitigate climate change and improve biodiversity in parks and protected areas, as well as in their school grounds and classrooms. In addition to the funding from the Climate Action and Awareness Fund, BC Parks Foundation is receiving $1.5 million from the Government of British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment and Parks for this project. This funding complements the investment made by BC Parks Foundation. The project is a promising example of provincial-federal-private collaboration on environmental learning.
Indigenous communities and organizations, academia, community organizations, and environmental organizations are leading the projects receiving funding today. The projects include creating learning opportunities in parks, holding community outreach events, and developing learning materials for young Canadians and their educators. This will help increase awareness of the local environment and demonstrate how residents can make an impactful difference in their communities. Of the funding announced today, $3.2 million is dedicated to Indigenous-led projects, aiming to provide Indigenous youth with environmental education that intertwines both Traditional Knowledge and western climate science.
Quotes
“Young Canadians are driven, curious, and creative, and they have the power to find dynamic and innovative solutions to take action against climate change. Our goal through the Climate Action and Awareness Fund is to provide them with the necessary resources to find these solutions. Environmental literacy is crucial and often overlooked in the fight against climate change. By making these resources accessible, we will equip the future generation of Canadians, their parents, guardians, and educators with the knowledge and skills they need to help reduce Canada’s emissions and create a more sustainable future.”
– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Spending time in nature is important for our overall health and well-being. When we connect youth to nature on their school grounds, we aren’t just showing them the beauty of the natural world—we are helping them understand their local parks and their importance, which is key to growing a culture of environmental stewardship. We are grateful to British Columbia’s provincial parks’ supporters for making this possible, and through the BC Parks Licence Plate Program, we are proud to support the BC Parks Foundation’s Learning by Nature program.”
– The Honourable Tamara Davidson, Minister of Environment and Parks, Government of British Columbia
“At this critical juncture, when our planet is facing a climate emergency, environmental literacy for young people is essential. As those that represent the future of this country, their ability to understand the complex issues facing our environment will equip them well into being better citizens and helping to build a stronger, more sustainable economy for the future.”
– Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville
“We’re thrilled to be part of a national movement that brings nature into the heart of education. Through our Learning by Nature program, students are transforming schoolyards into thriving, biodiverse spaces where they can take climate action, support local ecosystems, and connect with nearby protected areas. These nature-rich environments improve academic outcomes and provide opportunities for land-based learning, while also supporting mental health and well-being, right where kids learn and play.”
– Jennie McCaffrey, Vice President, Health and Education, BC Parks Foundation
Quick facts
- Environmental literacy is a key goal of environmental learning. It refers to the ability to understand and consider how human activities, ecological systems, and the changing climate are connected. Environmental literacy involves understanding not only climate science and environmental forces at work, but also sustainable practices and the ethical and social aspects of environmental challenges.
- The projects announced today include those national in scope, as well as local initiatives that will benefit youth across the country.
- As part of a pilot project to maximize the investment and increase project impact, some funding recipients also secured additional support from Canadian philanthropic organizations which share an interest in environmental education and climate literacy. Through strong, trusted partnerships across various sectors of society, the Government of Canada is taking a collaborative approach to supporting youth in taking action through practical measures for a prosperous and low-carbon future. Created in 1995, the Environmental Damages Fund is a Government of Canada program administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Fund receives money from fines, penalties, court orders, and voluntary payments for environmental violations. This money is used to support projects that will benefit Canada’s natural environment, usually in the area where the violation occurred.
- Established in 2020 and administered under the Environmental Damages Fund, the Climate Action and Awareness Fund was created largely from the highest penalty ever received by the Environmental Damages Fund. The Climate Action and Awareness Fund is investing up to $206 million over five years to support Canadian-made projects that help reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. These projects are critical to building a sustainable net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
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Contacts
Keean Nembhard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
343-552-2387
Keean.Nembhard@ec.gc.ca
Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca
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