OTTAWA - A leading Canadian investment firm and the world's largest nonprofit conservation organization are endorsing a national vision that balances protection of ecological and cultural values with responsible economic development across Canada's 1.4 billion acre Boreal forest region, the Canadian Boreal Initiative announced today.

Known as the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, the vision calls for protection of at least 50 percent of Canada's Boreal region and world-class sustainable development practices on the remaining landscape. Today's new signatories - the Ethical Funds Company, Canada's original and largest manager of socially responsible mutual funds and The Nature Conservancy - join the 11 other leading conservation organizations, First Nations, and forestry and energy companies that launched the Framework. Since its launch two years ago, the Framework has been increasingly attracting the attention of Canadian decision-makers, as well as the North American marketplace.

"Today's announcement demonstrates the increasing support that we're seeing across diverse sectors for the balanced approach of the Framework," said CBI Director Cathy Wilkinson. "These leaders share a growing concern about the need to plan before development as industrial pressure escalates, and in recognition of the unique global values of the region, such as the critical role of Boreal trees, soils and peatlands in mitigating the effects of climate change."

Stretching across Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador to the Yukon, the Boreal region is one of the world's most important ecosystems, covering 58 percent of the country. It provides extensive habitat for a wide variety of animal species, including migratory birds, rare woodland caribou, grizzly bears and wolves. Canada's Boreal is home to over 600 Aboriginal communities, and its wealth of natural resources is central to the forestry, mining, hydro and oil and gas industries in North America.

"The Boreal forest is a Canadian icon. It has shaped our history, our economy, and our culture - it is a part of who we are," said Bob Walker, Vice-President of Sustainability at the Ethical Funds Company. "We have an obligation to future generations of Canadians to carefully manage all of our activities in the Boreal forest - the heart of our nation's identity."

Ethical Funds has written to and begun talks with RBC Financial Group, CIBC, TD Bank Financial Group, Scotiabank Group and BMO Financial Group asking them to develop lending policies based on biodiversity protection and to endorse the Framework. Ethical Funds has a history of engaging Canada's top five banks on environmental and sustainable issues - successfully signing on four of the banks to the Equator Principles in support of financial industry policy development that is socially responsible and reflects sound environmental management practices.

"The Framework sets an ambitious goal to balance economic opportunities with natural resource protection," said Tony Grundhauser, The Nature Conservancy's Director US/Canada Partnership. "We are excited to join with the other partners in the Framework to advance the goal of protecting this critical natural resource at a scale that can really make a difference. The Canadian Boreal is one of the last three frontier forests left on earth, and its threats are accelerating. It is a challenge to all of us to find ways to protect this special region while insuring that its valuable resources are sustainably managed for the benefit of the people who live and work within the forest. With less than 10 percent of the Boreal region protected from development, time is short."

The Nature Conservancy will support implementation of the Framework through its expertise in science and land use planning, as well as its significant relationships with key industry partners. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of river around the world.

See attached backgrounder for additional information about Canada's Boreal region, the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework and each of its signatories, or visit www.borealcanada.ca.

Canada's Boreal Region
At 1.4 billion acres, Canada's Boreal region spans 58% of Canada and is one of only three remaining large intact forests in the world. It is home to abundant populations of wildlife, including billions of migrating songbirds, some of the largest caribou herds in the world, and the predators who depend on them. Home to over 600 Aboriginal communities, it is a source of economic livelihood and spiritual renewal for Canadians. For more information on Canada's Boreal, visit "Canada's Boreal at a Glance" at www.borealcanada.ca.

Canadian Boreal Initiative
The Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) is working with a wide range of organizations and individuals to link science, policy and conservation activities in Canada's Boreal region. In 2003, CBI convened the Boreal Leadership Council, an extraordinary group of conservation organizations, First Nations and resource companies. In concert with the members of the Council, CBI created and launched the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework - a national vision for the protection and sustainable development of Canada's Boreal. Visit www.borealcanada.ca.

Boreal Forest Conservation Framework
The Boreal Forest Conservation Framework calls for protection of at least 50% of Canada's Boreal in large interconnected protected areas and world-class sustainable development practices on the remaining landscape. Signatories to the Framework include Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc., Domtar Inc., Suncor Energy Inc., Tembec Inc., Dehcho First Nations, Innu Nation, Poplar River First Nation, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Ducks Unlimited Canada, Forest Ethics and World Wildlife Fund (Canada). Visit http://www.borealcanada.ca/framework_e.cfm

Ethical Funds Company
Launched in 1992, The Ethical Funds Company is Canada's original and largest manager of socially responsible mutual funds. In addition to evaluating all investments according to their financial, social and environmental performance and outlook, The Ethical Funds Company promotes corporate accountability - making good companies better - and gives investors a voice in encouraging sustainable business practices. Visit www.ethicalfunds.com.

The Nature Conservancy
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works in all 50 United States and 27 countries. Dedicated to preserving the diversity of life, TNC has protected more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of river around the world. TNC has significant conservation interests across North America and one of TNC's priority goals in Canada is to maintain the ecological integrity of the boreal forest region, and to accomplish this goal by working with partners, in particular the companies, non-governmental organizations and First Nations aligned with CBI. Visit www.nature.org.

Canadian Boreal Initiative

Canadian Boreal Initiative

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