Ask any Canadian what defines our country and most will mention nature before hockey. In a comprehensive survey on national identity, 89 per cent of Canadians cited nature as a central aspect of what it means to be Canadian, placing it not only above hockey, but also medicare and even our flag. This figure is a source of pride, but it should also give us pause. When we examine how many Canadians actually live, our pride begins to resemble a postcard sentiment rather than a lived reality.

We love the idea of nature. We stamp it on our currency, stitch it into our anthem and set it as our laptop wallpaper. But most of us spend our days under fluorescent lights, scrolling through feeds, and rushing between obligations that keep us firmly indoors. The gap between what Canadians believe about nature and how we relate to it in daily life grows wider with every passing year. 

Human connection with nature has declined by more than 60 per cent since 1800, primarily due to urbanization and reduced intergenerational transmission of nature-related experiences. That staggering figure, from a 2025 study by Professor Miles Richardson at the University of Derby, should stop us in our tracks.

The problem runs deeper than busy schedules. It reflects something structural in how Canada operates. We fund arenas and organize hockey leagues from the time kids can walk. We pour resources into the infrastructure of play because we know that love for........

© National Observer