Canada's environmental watchdog says that while the federal government talks a good game about biodiversity, and the protection and restoration of ecosystems, creating and executing a plan to follow up on those priorities remains a challenge.

"The challenge of protecting Canada's natural heritage is immense and pressures are growing. To make any headway, government needs to look differently at the problems and find new solutions," wrote Neil Maxwell, interim commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development committee, in his fall report released Tuesday.

Of the report's nine chapters, seven focused specifically on issues related to biodiversity.

From the International Convention on Biological Diversity, to the state of Canada's National Parks, to plans to save Canada's 518 species at risk, Maxwell noted a "pattern of unfulfilled commitments and responsibilities" that appear to be the result of departments with too many demands and too few resources.

Neil Maxwell

Neil Maxwell, interim commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development committee, says in his fall report released Tuesday that "the challenge of protecting Canada's natural heritage is immense and pressures are growing." (Office of the Auditor General)

More to come