Whereas the Canadian Government has committed to meeting the International Biodiversity Targets of protecting 17 of our land and inland waters and 10 of our ocean by 2020 through protected areas, Indigenous protected and conserved areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures; And whereas a strong provincial parks system protects the health of nature and the people of our province through ecosystem services in the forms of clean air and water, provides critical habitat for species-at-risk and climate change adaptation, and economic impacts through good jobs in urban and rural communities, visitor spending, tourism revenue and diversifying the economy: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM requests the Province to set aside dedicated funding for the purposes of system expansion, ecological monitoring and research, and management planning to meet the quantitative and qualitative measures set out in Target 1 of the Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada, using a participatory and collaborative process that appropriately recognizes Indigenous rights and responsibilities to land and community stakeholders, including local governments in the spirit and practice of reconciliation.
