CA Gov
On December 15, 2025, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, announced that over $10.6 million from the Environmental Damages Fund will be distributed to 23 projects that will focus on restoring or improving the natural environment and improving environmental quality, as well as for research and development leading to restoration.
The projects were selected following a call for applications launched in April 2024. The funding comes from fines, penalties, court orders, and voluntary payments resulting from environmental offenses in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec.
Since the program's inception in 1995, more than $255 million has been invested in over 600 projects benefiting ecosystems and communities across Canada.
| Recipient | Total | Project description |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | ||
| Fort McKay First Nation | $325,911 | The project will help understand what the land was like before oil sands development by reviewing environmental and traditional land use data. It will use Indigenous Knowledge to guide habitat restoration and support wildlife, as well as supporting the First Nation's ability to advocate for the land's protection and conservation. |
| Riparian Management Society | $424,000 | The project aims to improve the health of stream sites through restoration activities and enhance knowledge and skills by doing outreach and using demonstration sites in southwest Alberta. The project will focus on developing beaver co-existence tools as part of the organization's work with other partners. It also includes educational events like workshops and field days to share knowledge with communities. |
| Ermineskin Cree Nation Band | $461,900 | This project will build the capacity of Ermineskin Cree Nation to monitor and restore fish habitat within their ancestral territories, including the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Project activities will include training on aquatic habitat; support through restoring vegetation; and monitoring water, soil, and fish and around key fishing sites to support fish populations and the exercise of Treaty rights. |
| Oldman Watershed Council | $510,000 | This project will build capacity to assess fish habitats and assess restoration efforts in Lethbridge, Alberta, by creating the first Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) reference model for Alberta's Eastern Slopes. It includes training, data collection, tool development, and community engagement to support long-term environmental monitoring and restoration. |
| Freshwater Conservation Canada | $298,575 | This project will restore habitat in the upper Fall Creek watershed and create a self-sustaining bull trout population above the waterfall in Fall Creek, Alberta. It will begin with a feasibility assessment to guide restoration priorities, followed by detailed planning and implementation of project activities in 2026. |
| University of Calgary | $666,421 | This project will assess sites along the Oldman and Bow Rivers to identify suitable habitats for the threatened bull trout with the goal of relocating them to new locations near Calgary, Alberta. |
| Alberta Conservation Association | $250,000 | This project will track changes in native trout populations in the upper Clearwater and Oldman rivers of the Eastern Slopes of Alberta. It will help evaluate ongoing recovery efforts and identify the main factors affecting trout survival and recovery planning. |
| Duncan's First Nation | $388,000 | This project will help improve fish habitat in Peace River tributaries in Alberta by fixing streambanks, planting native plants, and making it easier for fish to move through the area. These changes will support bull trout populations and help the environment adapt to changes in the landscape. |
| British Columbia | ||
| Langley Environmental Partners Society | $314,777 | This project will help restore floodplain and streamside habitats along Nathan Creek in Langley, British Columbia. It aims to improve areas for fish and wildlife, especially young Chinook and coho salmon, by working on the creek's west bank and a nearby tributary. |
| West Vancouver Streamkeeper Society | $329,486 | This project will improve fish habitat in Cypress Creek, British Columbia, by building riffles and pools that help salmon spawn and grow. It will also create new safe areas for young fish and open access to upstream habitats by modifying a weir. The main goals are to keep gravel in place, create spawning and shelter areas, and improve fish movement. |
| Environmental Youth Alliance Society | $349,941 | This project will help clean and restore Still Creek in Vancouver by removing harmful waste and improving fish habitat. It will involve local children, youth, and residents in hands-on learning and community activities, building skills to care for the creek in the future. |
| Ts'elxwéyeqw Tribe | $358,600 | This project will help improve water quality in Cultus Lake, British Columbia, by restoring deep water oxygen levels to prevent pollution problems. It will also support the Ts'elxwéyeqw Tribe in leading environmental protection efforts in their traditional territory. |
| B.C. Wildlife Federation | $372,256 | This project will improve stream health and habitat in Mosquito Creek, North Vancouver, by restoring fish habitat, adding natural materials like wood, and planting native plants. It will also include monitoring, educational workshops, and working with partners to track progress and share results. |
| Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance Society | $399,681 | This project will assess, restore, and maintain fish habitat that has been negatively impacted by forestry operations in the Owikeno Lake watershed in British Columbia. It will provide community-based training and stewardship opportunities for Wuikinuxv members, involving assessing streams, developing and implementing restoration plans, and co-developing habitat assessment measurements with scientists and Knowledge Holders. |
| The Nature Trust of British Columbia | $441,975 | This project will improve fish habitat in Nicomen Slough, British Columbia, by digging new channels, improving existing ones, and planting native plants. These changes will create more space for fish to live and spawn, help keep the water cool, and reduce invasive plants like blackberry and reed grass. |
| Simon Fraser University | $449,484 | This project will study rainwater runoff from roads in North Vancouver to help protect salmon habitat. It will collect pollution data, compare it with other British Columbia waterways, and identify the most harmful pollutants to improve cleanup and protection plans. |
| Blueberry River First Nations | $576,028 | This project will restore important bull trout habitat in the Two Bit Creek, Pink Mountain area on Blueberry River First Nations territory in British Columbia. It will use both Indigenous Knowledge and western science-based approaches to fix damaged habitat, study sediment levels, and create detailed restoration plans that reflect both cultural and environmental values. |
| Kwantlen Lands, Resources and Stewardship Ltd. | $679,800 | This project will help restore fish habitat for coho salmon, rainbow, and cutthroat trout in Kwantlen First Nation territory. It will remove old, unused structures and improve stream areas in the Salmon River watershed, including Salmon River, Union Creek, and Coghlan Creek in the Township of Langley, British Columbia. |
| Leq'á:mel First Nation | $750,000 | This project will restore and improve Pacific salmon habitat in the North Nicomen Wetland watershed in Deroche, British Columbia. It aims to reconnect waterways so salmon and other aquatic species can access the North Nicomen Slough Systems. |
| Musqueam Indian Band | $865,726 | This project will restore fish habitat in Musqueam Creek in Vancouver, British Columbia. Pollution, invasive plants, and poor water quality are harming the creek and its ecosystem. This restoration work is especially important because the creek has cultural meaning for the Musqueam community. |
| Manitoba | ||
| University of Manitoba | $176,400 | This project at the University of Manitoba will help improve fish habitat in the Upper Nelson River watershed. It will create a tool to track water quality in real time, find pollution sources, and suggest ways to reduce pollution through field testing. |
| Quebec | ||
| Groupe ProConseil | $311,660 | This project will help improve water quality and increase wildlife habitat in agricultural areas of Montérégie. Farmers will get support to create eight demonstration sites, including restoration projects like vegetated buffer strips, wooded islands, stabilized stream banks, and ecologically valuable irrigation ponds. Three groups of farmers will join workshops to learn how to build, manage, and monitor these sites. Farmers, agronomists, biologists, technicians, and researchers will work together to share knowledge about improved agricultural practices and support the Québec government's Sustainable Agriculture Plan, which aims to double the area of biodiverse farmland. |
| Groupe de recommandations et d'actions pour un meilleur environnement (GRAME) | $950,000 | This project will improve water quality and help restore the overall health of Bouchard Stream in Dorval, Quebec. It will study the stream's condition, carry out greening and restoration along its banks and in the water, and encourage the community to use eco-friendly practices. Tools will be created to monitor the stream's health in real time after the project ends, helping ensure its ongoing protection. The long-term goal is to conserve and restore the area's ecosystems, shorelines, and biodiversity. |
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