Make a New Year's resolution for your fitness and the future of wildlife by registering for the 2026 WWF Climb for Nature
Step up for nature by climbing the CN Tower with WWF-Canada on May 2 or 3, 2026
TORONTO, Dec. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - The latest research from World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) shows Canadian wildlife populations are falling, but you can make a New Year's resolution to help their numbers climb back by ascending the CN Tower stairs on May 2 or 3, 2026 when the WWF Climb for Nature returns. Register now to reserve your spot at wwf.ca/climb.
Reaching the top is a towering achievement
The landmark fundraiser will bring together thousands of people, all climbing with the shared goal of conserving nature for wildlife, people and the planet.
The WWF Climb for Nature is also an opportunity for people to redefine what they're capable of, build a sense of community and camaraderie, claim the titles of fastest climber and top fundraiser, and experience what it's like to stand atop Canada's tallest tower after getting up there on leg power alone.
The average time to climb the CN Tower's 1,776 steps, or 144 floors, is around 30 minutes. The WWF CN Tower Climb for Nature record is 9 minutes and 54.9 seconds, set in 2017 by Shaun Stephens-Whale, a competitive tower runner and obstacle course racer from Squamish, B.C.
There's an urgent need to step up conservation efforts
More than half (52 per cent) of the species WWF-Canada studied in its latest Living Planet Report Canada are decreasing in abundance. On average, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles and amphibians are all trending in the wrong direction.
Here in southern Ontario, 133 species are at risk. Almost all of them could be locally extinct in the next 25 years without action to protect them.
"Wildlife populations in Canada are falling. It's urgent we step up our efforts to protect and restore the nature they -- and all of us -- depend on," Megan Leslie, president and CEO of WWF-Canada, said. "We're grateful to every person who shows up to both challenge themselves by climbing the CN Tower and also face the very real challenges facing our natural world. Nature needs us now more than ever."
What you need to know:
- WWF's CN Tower Climb for Nature takes place on Saturday, May 2 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and Sunday, May 3 from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Climbers wishing to compete for the fastest time can register for the Elite Climb on Sunday, May 3 at 6 a.m.
- Visit wwf.ca/climb to register as an individual or with a team.
- Participants must be 13 years of age or older on event day to climb the CN Tower.
- Those who can't take part in the CN Tower Climb are invited to register for the Anywhere Climb.
About the WWF Climb for Nature
The WWF Climb for Nature raises more than $1 million annually to restore and protect the habitats of Canada's most iconic and at-risk species, including southern resident killer whales, monarch butterflies, narwhal and barren-ground caribou.
The first climb took place at the CN Tower in 1991. It has since grown to include an event at BC Place in Vancouver and an Anywhere Climb that allows participants to choose when and where they take part. In 2025, climbers across all three events took a collective 11,168,236 steps for nature.
WWF-Canada's most significant fundraising event is made possible by the generous support of national sponsor, Aviso.
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.
SOURCE World Wildlife Fund Canada
For further information: Emily Vandermeer, senior communications specialist, [email protected]
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