Biodiversity is all around us — it’s the variety of life on Earth, from the tiniest insect to a vast northern forest. Biodiversity is also about being connected – no species, including people, can live without others to provide it with food and habitat. All living things are part of this life system.

Biodiversity in Ontario

Ontario is made up of more than one million square kilometres of land and water and is one of the most biodiverse provinces in Canada. It includes:

• more than 30,000 known species
• more than 250,000 lakes
• 500,000 kilometres of streams
• many different types of habitat in four distinct ecozones, including tundra in the north to Carolinian forests in the south

The natural bounty of plants and animals, land, lakes and rivers, forests and other ecosystems provide us with a healthy environment, clean air, productive soils, nutritious foods, and safe, clean water.