Good time for nature: Canadians see nature as identity, security, and something worth protecting

Daily life depends on nature in ways we often don’t stop to think about. Food, water, energy, even the stability of the places we live, all of it ultimately comes from natural systems. And yet, even when we understand this, changing how we live and consume isn’t simple. Not because people don’t care, but because real life is complicated, expensive, and shaped by systems that are hard to shift as individuals.

This is usually where conversations about nature and protection get stuck. The moment we move from values to decisions, things become political. And from there, things tend to slow down.

But sometimes it helps to step back and ask: what do people actually think?

A recent study titled “Elbows up for Nature”: Canadian public perceptions of Nature and Nature conservation in national identity and security gives us a pretty clear answer. The researchers surveyed more than 2,000 Canadians to understand how nature fits into ideas of identity, prosperity, and security.

And the results are hard to ignore.

Nature is not something Canadians see as separate from themselves. It’s part of who they are.

Most people said nature is deeply tied to their personal identity, and an even larger share said it is central to Canada’s national identity. Many also agreed that if nature is lost, something essential about the country would be lost too.

That idea really stands out: nature isn’t just scenery or background. It’s part of belonging.

Even more striking is how strongly people link nature to the future. About nine in ten Canadians believe protecting nature is essential for the country’s long-term success.

Reading that, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own experience. Coming from a place where nature is also deeply stored into culture and identity, it is encouraging to see how strongly that same connection exists here in Canada. It reinforces something simple but important: nature is not just something we inherit. It’s something we rely on for what comes next.

People want action

And when you look at the numbers more closely, the message becomes even clearer, people want action.

• Most Canadians think protecting nature should be a government priority, regardless of political party.

• A large majority support Canada’s “30×30” conservation target.

• Many actually believe we should be protecting even more land and ocean than we currently plan for.

• On average, people say they would prefer much higher levels of protection than what exists today.

• Most support increasing funding for conservation.

• Nature is also seen as a security issue, especially when it comes to water and energy.

• And many support stronger limits on resource use when it threatens long-term stability.

Put simply: this isn’t just that  “we care about nature” message. It’s a pretty strong signal that people want governments to take protection seriously, and to be more ambitious about it.

At the same time, there’s a tension that keeps showing up in Canada’s approach.

On one hand, people clearly value nature and want it protected. On the other hand, economic development and resource extraction continue to be treated as competing priorities, as if we always have to choose one or the other.

But what’s interesting in this study is that most people don’t actually see it that way. The idea that nature and the economy must be in conflict doesn’t really hold up in public opinion. Instead, there’s a stronger sense that both should move forward together, that long-term prosperity depends on keeping nature intact. And that shift in thinking matters.

Because if nature is part of identity and security, then it can’t just sit on the side of policy discussions. It has to be part of how we define development and success in the first place.

For Blue Maritimes, this feels very aligned with what we’re trying to do. We’re interested in solutions that don’t treat nature, climate, and the economy as separate problems to balance against each other, but as connected parts of the same system.

Of course, solutions are rarely perfect. But progress often comes from finding common ground and moving forward anyway, especially when there is already strong public support for doing so.

And maybe that’s the most important takeaway here: Canadians already see nature as something worth protecting. The question now is whether our decisions and systems will catch up to that reality.

Because in the end, this isn’t just about nature “out there.” It’s about the world we are actively shaping every day.

Paper: https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2025-0327