In 2010, the Canadian federal government committed to protecting 17% of its lands and inland waters by 2020 in well-connected and well-managed protected areas, under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. More recently, the current federal government reaffirmed its commitment to meeting and exceeding these targets, and is now leading an aggressive push to deliver new, on-the-ground protections in all provinces and territories, with a strong focus on partnerships with First Nations. These targets present a unique, time-limited opportunity to advance significant on-the-ground conservation action in British Columbia. With a number of proposals for new protected areas already underway, from the dry grasslands of the Okanagan to the rugged wilds of northern BC, we will explore what these targets mean for BC and start setting the stage for going beyond the targets, to truly meet the needs of nature in the long-term.