Canada Project Finance for Permanence - Great Bear Sea
Enriched government · Found: 2026-03-10 22:16
$335M in initial funding supporting 17 First Nations in long-term marine stewardship. Innovative conservation financing model leveraging government and private funding.
Source: https://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/collaboration/indigenous-led-projects-dirigees-par-autochtones-eng.html
Funding Details
- Funder
- Government of Canada (Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Environment and Climate Change Canada), Province of British Columbia, Philanthropic Foundations
- Funding Goal
- Long-term conservation financing for the Great Bear Sea (Northern Shelf Bioregion) through the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model. Supports implementation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network, marine conservation, stewardship, and sustainable ocean-based economy led by 17 First Nations in British Columbia. Funding covers MPA network management, stewardship activities, culturally-relevant job and training opportunities, conservation economy transition, and community well-being.
- Funding Amount
- Government of Canada investing $200M. Total initial funding approximately $335M. Estimated $750M in economic impact over 20 years. Philanthropic foundations and private revenue sources contribute additional funds.
- Deadline
- Launched June 25, 2024. Long-term program operating over 20+ years. (Rolling)
- How to Apply
- This is not an open grant program. It is an institutional conservation financing arrangement between First Nations, federal and provincial governments, and philanthropic foundations. For more information contact Coast Funds (coastfunds.ca) or the Great Bear Sea First Nations Partners (ourgreatbearsea.ca).
- Target Region
- Canada — Northern Shelf Bioregion, British Columbia coast (102,000 km² marine area from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska border)
- Contact
- Coast Funds: coastfunds.ca/great-bear-sea. Great Bear Sea First Nations Partners: ourgreatbearsea.ca. DFO contact: dfo-mpo.gc.ca/contact/index-eng.htm
- Official Page
- https://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/collaboration/indigenous-led-projects-dirigees-par-autochtones/great-bear-sea-mer-eng.html
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-15 12:41
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
The Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) is an innovative conservation financing arrangement for the Northern Shelf Bioregion (Great Bear Sea) of British Columbia, Canada. Covering approximately 102,000 km² of marine area stretching from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaska border, it is one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world, home to humpback and killer whales, sea otters, seabirds, salmon, ancient glass sponge reefs, kelp forests, and seagrass meadows. The programme was launched on June 25, 2024, through a partnership between 17 First Nations, the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and philanthropic foundations. The Government of Canada invested $200 million, with total initial funding around $335 million. Total estimated economic impact is $750 million over 20 years. The financing model leverages government investment alongside private philanthropy and revenue sources. Thematic scope covers Marine Protected Area (MPA) network implementation and management, marine stewardship, biodiversity conservation, coastal protection, traditional Indigenous stewardship of marine resources, sustainable ocean economy transition, salmon and kelp forest conservation, and glass sponge reef protection. The MPA Network Action Plan was endorsed in February 2023 as the core conservation plan. The programme focuses exclusively on the Northern Shelf Bioregion of British Columbia, Canada. It is a geographically targeted initiative with no international scope. The marine area is culturally significant to the First Nations who have lived and worked in this region for millennia. Eligible applicants/partners are restricted to the 17 First Nations who are governance partners in the Northern Shelf Bioregion. This is not an open grant call — it is an established institutional financing arrangement. The programme also involves the Government of Canada (DFO, Environment and Climate Change Canada), the Province of British Columbia, Coast Funds, and philanthropic foundations as co-funders and partners. Benefits include more than 3,000 new jobs and 200 new businesses over 20 years, culturally-relevant job and training opportunities for more than 2,250 people, improved health and well-being outcomes, and cultural and language revitalization programs. The programme also contributes to Canada's 30x30 marine protection targets, adding approximately 0.3% of Canada's marine area under protection.
Historical Context
The Great Bear Sea PFP builds on the Great Bear Rainforest PFP, a terrestrial conservation arrangement established in 2007. In December 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau announced $800M to support up to 4 Indigenous-led conservation initiatives through the Project Finance for Permanence model. In February 2023, First Nations, Government of Canada, and Province of BC endorsed an MPA Network Action Plan for the Northern Shelf Bioregion. The Great Bear Sea PFP was signed and launched on June 25, 2024.
Why it was added
R13-RF3: Major Indigenous-led marine conservation finance mechanism ($335M)
Sources
- https://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/collaboration/indigenous-led-projects-dirigees-par-autochtones-eng.html
- https://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/collaboration/indigenous-led-projects-dirigees-par-autochtones/great-bear-sea-mer-eng.html
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