Feds mum on wilting conservation program funding as nature spending dips 62 per cent

The funding for the Enhanced Nature Legacy Program will sunset March 31, and there's no word on its renewal. Meanwhile, the feds say a nature strategy is coming, but the 2026-27 main estimates highlight a 62 per cent drop in cash for nature conservation.

Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin's office says a new nature strategy will come out soon, but its timeline remains unclear. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feds mum on wilting conservation program funding as nature spending dips 62 per cent

NewsBY RIDDHI KACHHELA

The funding for the Enhanced Nature Legacy Program will sunset March 31, and there's no word on its renewal. Meanwhile, the feds say a nature strategy is coming, but the 2026-27 main estimates highlight a 62 per cent drop in cash for nature conservation.

Feds mum on wilting conservation program funding as nature spending dips 62 per cent

NewsBY RIDDHI KACHHELA

The funding for the Enhanced Nature Legacy Program will sunset March 31, and there's no word on its renewal. Meanwhile, the feds say a nature strategy is coming, but the 2026-27 main estimates highlight a 62 per cent drop in cash for nature conservation.

THE LATEST

Feds offering ‘white glove’ treatment for laid off public servants receiving severance, says PSPC official

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

Senior government official Alex Benay says he's 'pretty comfortable' the Phoenix pay system can handle the 'volume' of severance payouts as the public service faces a swell job cuts.

Feds offering ‘white glove’ treatment for laid off public servants receiving severance, says PSPC official

NewsBY MARLO GLASS

Senior government official Alex Benay says he's 'pretty comfortable' the Phoenix pay system can handle the 'volume' of severance payouts as the public service

Canada’s Wildlife Is Sounding the Alarm. We Still Have Time to Act.

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Carney’s deputy minister shuffle raises national security questions

NewsBY KATHRYN MAY

Eliminating the prime minister’s national security adviser role has triggered debate about whether Canada is weakening its security architecture.

Eliminating the prime minister’s national security adviser role has triggered debate about whether Canada is weakening its security architecture.

Major public service shakeup taps David Morrison to ‘elevated’ key foreign policy role in the centre

NewsBY MARLO GLASS, NEIL MOSS | UPDATED March 6, 2026

The March 4 announcement names 15 senior civil servants to new roles, and brings in one person from the private sector as Prime Minister Mark Carney continues to reshape the federal bureaucracy, from Foreign Affairs to Fisheries and Oceans.

The March 4 announcement names 15 senior civil servants to new roles, and brings in one person from the private sector as Prime Minister

Navy commander, SecState kibosh mixed submarine fleet that experts say would be ‘more complicated’ and ‘inefficient’ to operate

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Despite new reports Ottawa is considering splitting the contract for 12 new submarines, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee says it's more efficient to have one supplier, but notes that the Navy does and can operate mixed fleets and would follow whatever decision the government makes.

Despite new reports Ottawa is considering splitting the contract for 12 new submarines, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee says it's more efficient to have one supplier,

POLITICS THIS MORNING

LeBlanc returns to Washington

Plus, Poilievre attends a fancy banquet in Germany’s Hamburg where Angela Merkel is a guest of honour.

BY RIDDHI KACHHELA, PETER MAZEREEUW

OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Agricultural research, innovation, and commercialization: drivers of a resilient future

Farming is certainly not without its challenges; however, research, innovation, science and technology create tangible tools and resources that will help farmers and producers overcome some of the challenges facing the industry.

BY CSG SENATOR ROB BLACK

Opinion

BY JONATHAN BERKSHIRE MILLER

Japan is Canada’s anchor in the Indo-Pacific

Opinion

BY BHAGWANT SANDHU

Carney’s contradictions: from Davos to New Delhi

Opinion

BY ANDREW CADDELL

B.C.’s Eby may not be long for the job

Opinion

BY ERICA IFILL

Carney’s cold calculation

PODCAST: THE HOT ROOM

‘Pace yourself for the long haul’: Jocelyne Bourgon joins The Hot Room

NEWS

Veteran rehab contract under scrutiny as observers call on government to return the work in-house

NewsBY IREM KOCA

The five-year, $572-million contract with Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services should not be renewed because it 'does nothing to promote the continuity of care,' and 'push[es] bureaucracy to the point of absurdity,' MPs on the Veterans Affairs Committee are told.

Veteran rehab contract under scrutiny as observers call on government to return the work in-house

NewsBY IREM KOCA

The five-year, $572-million contract with Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services should not be renewed because it 'does nothing to promote the continuity of care,' and 'push[es] bureaucracy to the point of absurdity,' MPs on the Veterans Affairs Committee are told.

Feds are ‘silencing’ an agent of Parliament by leaving post vacant, says ex-budget watchdog Giroux

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Main estimates set out $502.8-billion for 2026-27 as National Defence tops voted spending

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Liberals to cut CBC by $192-million in 2026-27

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

The Year of Resilience: What 2026 Will Demand From Canada’s Cyber Leaders

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HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Parliamentary Calendar

NDP MPs Gazan, Idlout taking part in Broadbent Institute Progress Summit in Ottawa March 4-6

Podcast

‘We knew there was something coming’: how a Canadian charity has been sending aid into Ukraine

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The Hill Times’ Top 100 Best Books in 2025

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Who’s backing the NDP leadership contenders?

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Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy – Time to Build.

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HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

NDP MPs Idlout, Gazan join Lewis at leadership event in Ottawa

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

NDP MPs Idlout, Gazan join Lewis at leadership event in Ottawa

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

Carney Down Under

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

POLITICS

Pilgrimages prove politicians paying attention

OpinionBY TIM POWERS

‘We need guardrails’: Senators look to get ‘ahead of the curve’ on AI regulation as feds eye legislative gaps

NewsBY STUART BENSON

‘Reconnecting with an old friend’: Library of Parliament building marks 150 years with special tours

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Some NDP leadership candidates’ policies ‘not terribly viable,’ says McPherson, who denies she’s running a centrist campaign

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Carney regroups with Modi in New Delhi

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA

Plus, Poilievre plans to meet the Reform UK Party Leader Nigel Farage in London, England.

Carney regroups with Modi in New Delhi

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA

Plus, Poilievre plans to meet the Reform UK Party Leader Nigel Farage in London, England.

THE HILL TIMES NEWSPAPER

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

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Wednesday, February 25, 2026

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OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Opinion

BY NADEEM ESMAIL, MACKENZIE MOIR

Ottawa discourages health-care innovation, and patients pay the price

Opinion

BY DAVID CARMENT

Mark Carney’s 50 shades of grey zones

Opinion

BY KENDRA MACDONALD

Defending Canada, where ocean capability runs deep

‘Playing with fire’: Tony Manera recalls pushback during sovereignty debate

OpinionBY TONY MANERA

In an excerpt from his forthcoming memoirs, former CBC/Radio-Canada president Tony Manera recounts his experience at the public broadcaster ahead of the 1995 Quebec referendum.

Carney can’t use the clock to avoid questions

OpinionBY EDITORIAL

Canada’s support for U.S. action in Iran ‘sets a terrible precedent,’ says letter writer

Opinion

Canada’s support for U.S. action in Iran ‘sets a terrible precedent,’ says letter writer

Opinion

The reality of Carney is different than what it appears: CJPME advocate

Opinion

Trump’s steady coarsening of public life threatens democracy

OpinionBY JOHN MCKAY

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY DE ADDER

de Adder’s Take: 03-04-2026

de Adder’s Take: 03-02-2026

de Adder’s Take: 02-25-2026

Public Service

Canada’s trade ambitions rest on a food system we’re dismantling

The assumption appears to be that fewer experts can somehow do more with less—an impossibility in a system already stretched past its limits.

BY SEAN O’REILLY

Ongoing grievance over public service health-plan switch an ‘interesting’ case, says labour lawyer

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says its members have had prolonged issues since the federal government transferred the Public Service Health Care Plan from Sun life to Canada Life in July 2023.

BY MARLO GLASS

Outspoken health advocate Joss Reimer talks about finding ‘common ground’ with government as she becomes Canada’s top doctor

Joss Reimer says she wants to tackle misinformation and disinformation, and place more emphasis on the social determinants of health and preventative health. She's also keeping a close eye on H5N1, also referred to as the bird flu, to ensure that Canada has an influenza pandemic plan in place.

BY TESSIE SANCI

Union warns pay system may not be able to handle layoffs, early retirements 10 years after start of Phoenix problems

The Phoenix pay system has cost the government more than $5-billion to date, and the current backlog of pay issues stands at around 238,000 transactions.

BY MARLO GLASS

Bringing investment banking rigour to Ottawa

Unlike the private sector, senior public servants are rarely removed for persistent underperformance. And tone from the top, however well calibrated, cannot substitute for rigor on the ground.

BY RAM MATHILAKATH

FOREIGN POLICY

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Canada can no longer pretend the U.S. is ‘safe’ for refugees

OpinionBY WASHIM AHMED

In a fractured world, women peacebuilders are essential

OpinionBY RACHEL WARDEN

Can Carney reconcile his Davos goals with complicity in the Iran war?

OpinionBY DOUGLAS ROCHE, ERNIE REGEHR

Netanyahu makes a sucker out of Trump with Iran attack

OpinionBY GWYNNE DYER

Failed asylum-seeker motion shows Conservatives ‘smelled blood in the water’ with minister, immigration as wedge issue, say politicos

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Conservatives are capitalizing on the recent drop in public support for immigration, but risk being seen as too MAGA adjacent, say observers. Meanwhile, the immigration minister's own colleagues question her handling of the file.

Failed asylum-seeker motion shows Conservatives ‘smelled blood in the water’ with minister, immigration as wedge issue, say politicos

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Conservatives are capitalizing on the recent drop in public support for immigration, but risk being seen as too MAGA adjacent, say observers. Meanwhile, the immigration minister's own colleagues question her handling of the file.

BOOKS, BIG IDEAS, Q&As

The Coutts Diaries is the most revealing book ever written about Canadian politics

FeatureBY DAVID HERLE

This is a previously unseen view of Pierre Trudeau, one that is sure to alter your opinions of him. It is an unvarnished look inside the government that brought you wage and price controls, the Charter of Rights, and the National Energy Program. And it is a darkly moving account of the life of a senior political staffer.

The Coutts Diaries is the most revealing book ever written about Canadian politics

FeatureBY DAVID HERLE

This is a previously unseen view of Pierre Trudeau, one that is sure to alter your opinions of him. It is an unvarnished look inside the government that brought you wage and price controls, the Charter of Rights, and the National Energy Program. And it is a darkly moving account of the life of a senior political staffer.

‘Don’t be indifferent’: Iranian-Canadian author shares story of his life inside infamous Tehran prison in new book

FeatureBY IREM KOCA

‘Treating politics as a system of balance, not battle’: new book brings fresh insights into Mackenzie King and lessons for today’s leaders

FeatureBY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN

First Nations are ‘ready’ to move beyond the Indian Act, but time’s running out, says author Bob Joseph

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

The Finest Hotel in Kabul is a window into Afghan endurance through the eyes of locals working at the Intercontinental Hotel

FeatureBY ELEANOR WAND

The bathtub is overflowing: why Canada’s climate strategy needs to pull the plug

OpinionBY NA’IM MERCHANT

We cannot meet our climate goals without removing the legacy carbon pollution that has accumulated since the Industrial Revolution.

Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin. The government must heed the Senate’s advice and provide the regulatory clarity, dedicated targets, and financing necessary to scale the carbon-removal sector safely and transparently, writes Na’im Merchant. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The bathtub is overflowing: why Canada’s climate strategy needs to pull the plug

OpinionBY NA’IM MERCHANT

We cannot meet our climate goals without removing the legacy carbon pollution that has accumulated since the Industrial Revolution.

The bathtub is overflowing: why Canada’s climate strategy needs to pull the plug

OpinionBY NA’IM MERCHANT

We cannot meet our climate goals without removing the legacy carbon pollution that has accumulated since the Industrial Revolution.

As Canada redefines its place in the world, rare disease patients are still looking south

OpinionBY KAIT LAFORCE

In an era where Canada is talking about leadership, innovation, and economic competitiveness, the fact that patients must routinely cross the border for care should trouble all of us.

Mining a collective defence against Trump’s threats

OpinionBY SCOTT TAYLOR

If the U.S. wants a reliable, non-Chinese source of tungsten for its arms industry, Canada should invest in securing a domestic supply for all of our NATO allies.

New policy adding nurse practitioners to public health-care plans will go ahead April 1

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

The previous Liberal government told provinces and territories early last year that they would have to cover medically necessary services by non-physicians and gave them 14 months to prepare. Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s office has confirmed it will move forward.

Health Canada, led by Minister Marjorie Michel, will require provinces and territories to report extra-billing or user charges connected to medically necessary services by nurse practitioners, midwives, and pharmacists beginning in December 2028. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

New policy adding nurse practitioners to public health-care plans will go ahead April 1

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

The previous Liberal government told provinces and territories early last year that they would have to cover medically necessary services by non-physicians and gave them 14 months to prepare. Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s office has confirmed it will move forward.

New policy adding nurse practitioners to public health-care plans will go ahead April 1

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

The previous Liberal government told provinces and territories early last year that they would have to cover medically necessary services by non-physicians and gave them 14 months to prepare. Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s office has confirmed it will move forward.

‘A fundamental shift’: new strategy an opportunity to grow domestic industrial base, say lobbyists

NewsBY SERGIY SLIPCHENKO

'The amounts of money that are being talked about here between now and 2035 are truly transformational,' said Duncan Hills, a senior adviser on defence and security at NorthStar Public Affairs.

Ottawa unsure how to regulate AI chatbots after Tumbler Ridge report, as Solomon says ‘all options are on the table’

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE

A recent bombshell report revealed OpenAI internally flagged and banned the shooter's profile on the startup’s chatbot, ChatGPT, months ago, but elected not to inform legal authorities in Canada.

Why Canada can bridge the EU and CPTPP trading blocs

OpinionBY KUMARAN NADESAN

Connecting the European Union and the Indo-Pacific nations would put Prime Minister Mark Carney's call for middle powers to work together into action.

THE LATEST POLICY BRIEFINGS

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features

McGuinty, Anand to speak at Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence March 4-5

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

McGuinty, Anand to speak at Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence March 4-5

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Northern, Arctic Affairs Minister Chartrand has a new chief of staff

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Carney touches down in Mumbai

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, PETER MAZEREEUW

Japan celebrates Expo 2025

FeatureBY SAM GARCIA

Poilievre speaks on Canada-U.S. relations in T.O.

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

Liberal MP Kayabaga to talk unlocking growth in Africa and the Caribbean during Empire Club event on Feb. 26

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Secretary of State Long adds director, and others to team

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Koreans come calling

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA, ELEANOR WAND

Parliamentary Calendar

SecState Fuhr to talk about Canada’s new era in defence investment on Monday, Feb. 23, in Montreal

Podcast

The ‘ambitious’ Defence Industrial Strategy, with Mark Norman

News

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists in 2025: lobbyists prepare for ‘significant reset’ as federal election begins

News

Tracking job cuts in the federal public service

Podcast

Tumbler Ridge shooting upends the agenda: The week in review

Policy Briefing – Environment

Policy Briefing – EVs and EV Infrastructure

Policy Briefing – Health

Policy Briefing – Defence

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

Finance & Budget

Main estimates set out $502.8-billion for 2026-27 as National Defence tops voted spending

National Defence's $48.4-billion represents the biggest ask of the $230.4-billion set to be voted on by MPs, with five more departments seeking approval for more than $10-billion.

BY ELEANOR WAND

Liberals to cut CBC by $192-million in 2026-27

This year’s estimates include $1.38-billion in funding for the CBC, representing a marked decrease from the $1.58-billion allotted to the public broadcaster during the 2025-26 fiscal year.

BY DAVIS LEGREE

Feds are ‘silencing’ an agent of Parliament by leaving post vacant, says ex-budget watchdog Giroux

Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie says the PBO is 'unable to do its job of providing government oversight.' But another former budget watchdog Kevin Page says the prime minister has 'deep respect for the legislative budget offices,' adding that the next PBO will be faced with 'enormous challenges' in the months and years ahead and will be playing a critical role.

BY IREM KOCA

How to fix Canada’s sputtering productivity

Polytechnics can restore higher education’s link to economic growth and lift Canada out of its chronic underperformance.

BY ANN MARIE VAUGHAN

‘Once you get a carveout from one province, it’s game over’: Ottawa-Alberta MOU draws advocates with economic and environment concerns

On the federal lobbyists’ registry, groups that lobbied on the Ottawa-Alberta MOU include the CCLC, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and Pathways Alliance, a consortium of Canada's largest oilsands producers, including Cenovus Energy, Imperial Oil and Suncor Energy.

BY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the national supply chain office “will enhance the resilience, efficiency, and reliability of our transportation systems,” in a Transport Canada press release on Dec. 1, 2023.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.