Advancing Critical Sector Priority: Legal Defence Insurance

The protection of private conservation lands across Canada faces evolving challenges that require innovative solutions. A critical sector priority has emerged from extensive consultation with conservation organizations, land trusts, and stakeholders: establishing a comprehensive legal defence insurance program. This initiative represents essential infrastructure for safeguarding the long-term viability of private conservation efforts nationwide. 

The Centre for Land Conservation is supporting an advisory committee of land trust sector leaders to develop a robust business case for a legal defence insurance facility that would provide Canadian conservation organizations with accessible, affordable protection against legal challenges to their conservation work. This program would fill a significant gap in the sector’s risk management capabilities, ensuring that conservation organizations can defend their important work without facing prohibitive legal costs that could compromise their missions or financial sustainability. 

We are finalizing our detailed proposal and business case, which will be released for sector-wide consultation in the coming weeks. This consultation process will provide all stakeholders with the opportunity to review, provide feedback, and help shape this vital program before implementation. 

Stay connected with developments on this and other critical conservation issues by signing up for our newsletter – together, we can build the infrastructure needed to protect Canada’s most important private conservation lands for future generations. While we continue to explore additional sector priorities such as enhanced stewardship endowment mechanisms, our immediate focus remains on delivering this essential legal defence insurance program to the conservation community.