CCEA works in partnership with many agencies, organizations, and individuals across Canada and throughout the world. It is especially responsive to the inter-jurisdictional and regional ecosystem needs of the provinces and territories. The core program activities of CCEA focus on connecting Canadian protected area jurisdictions, specialists, practitioners and organizations.

CCEA holds collaborative meetings in different jurisdictions to discuss common issues and specific regional concerns, and to celebrate jurisdictional achievements. Its leadership on terrestrial ecosystem representation, a national framework for protected areas, approaches to gap analysis, marine conservation areas, northern protected areas, protected area categorization, international collaboration, and data management are indicative of enduring work serving wide jurisdictional and national needs.