MEASURING PROGRESS

In order to protect biodiversity we have to understand it. Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy includes commitments to report on the State of Ontario’s Biodiversity and on progress in achieving biodiversity targets every 5 years. The targets in this Strategy have end dates of 2025 or 2030 to align with this reporting schedule.

Council has reported on the state of Ontario’s biodiversity in 2010, 2015 and 2021.

The reports are available online on the State of Ontario’s Biodiversity website and include:

  • 45 indicators that summarize data from monitoring programs to evaluate progress in achieving Ontario’s biodiversity targets.
  • Status and trends in three biodiversity theme areas:
  • pressures on biodiversity
  • state of ecosystem, species and genetic diversity; and
  • conservation and sustainable use.

You can access all of the past biodiversity reports here:

  • State of Ontario’s Biodiversity 2010 report
  • State of Ontario’s Biodiversity 2015 report
  • State of Ontario’s Biodiversity 2021 report

Supporting national and international efforts

Working together across diverse groups to achieve this strategy will also contribute to national and international efforts such as Canada’s Biodiversity Strategy and the goals and targets set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2021–2030).

Biodiversity doesn’t know borders. As we implement Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy we are part of a larger global effort to acknowledge the importance of biodiversity to our lives and take steps to protect it. Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy embraces the objectives that have been set out in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which are:

  • Ecosystem diversity is the variety of habitats, ecological communities and associated ecological processes.
  • Species diversity is the variety of species.
  • Genetic diversity is the variety of genetic information contained within individuals of a particular species.
The CBD states, “The conservation of biodiversity is a common concern for humankind.”

Subnational and regional governments and organizations have an important role to play in helping to deliver biodiversity goals and targets set at national and international levels. The Edinburgh Declaration outlines the critical role of subnational governments, cities, and local authorities in managing biodiversity. The Ontario Biodiversity Council has officially endorsed the Declaration.

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