Nature Conservancy of Canada: Celebrating 30 Years

For almost 20 years, StrategyCorp has played a significant role in supporting the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), helping secure and sustain one of Canada’s most impactful conservation initiatives. Through strategic engagement, policy expertise, and government relations, StrategyCorp has worked to ensure the continuity and expansion of federal and provincial conservation funding—advancing environmental stewardship from coast to coast to coast.

Established in 2007, the federal partnership with NCC—the Natural Areas Conservation Program (now the Natural Heritage Conservation Program)—transformed the way conservation is funded and executed in Canada. By leveraging every federal dollar with up to two dollars from public and private sector partners, the program has maximized impact, securing over 800,000 hectares of land across 350 municipalities, resulting in $1.5B in conservation outcomes. This science-based approach ensures that critical ecological corridors remain intact, benefiting communities, species at risk, and sustainable land use.

StrategyCorp’s role has helped shape the program’s longevity. Rather than framing funding cycles as new applications, StrategyCorp worked with NCC to create a ‘renewal strategy’—embedding the program as an essential, ongoing initiative within government priorities. This approach has led to successive multi-year funding agreements, ensuring continued investment in conservation.

Beyond federal advocacy, StrategyCorp has worked at the provincial level to expand conservation efforts, most notably assisting in the creation of Ontario’s Green Lands Conservation Partnership in 2021. This initiative, modeled after the federal program, secured $20 million in provincial funding and is poised for replication across other jurisdictions.

The NCC’s work is more than land conservation —it is a strategic blueprint for sustainable growth, adaptation, and ecological resilience. Through targeted advocacy and a deep understanding of political landscapes, StrategyCorp has helped cement conservation as a national priority, ensuring that Canada’s natural areas remain protected for generations to come.

Pictured, Happy Valley Forest, an NCC Conservation Site