Overview

One of the Government of Canada's mandates is the conservation of nature, including the recovery of species at risk. In this regard, the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk (HSP) provides funds for Canadian projects that help protect and recover species at risk.

This page provides information on requirements and priorities for making an application to the HSP for terrestrial^{Footnote 1}species at risk. Applications will be screened and evaluated to ensure eligibility criteria are met and funding priorities are considered.

Regional HSP Coordinators are your main contact for all your project questions, including program priorities and Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) funding options. For program information, you can also email the national HSP inbox at PIH-HSP@ec.gc.ca.

Eligible recipients

The following are eligible for funding under the HSP:

• Canadian non-governmental organizations
• Canadian community groups
• Canadian Indigenous organizations and communities
• Canadian individuals
• Canadian private corporations and businesses
• Canadian educational institutions
• Canadian provincial, territorial and municipal governments
• Canadian provincial Crown corporations

If your proposed project is planned to take place on Indigenous reserve lands or other lands set aside for Indigenous Peoples, either entirely or partially, and you are not Indigenous or have no rights to the lands (for example, through a permit, lease, or as a Certificate of Possession holder), you must provide signed letter(s) of support from the affected Indigenous community.

Federal departments, federal agencies and federal Crown corporations are not eligible to receive HSP funds.

Geographic location

Project activities must take place in Canada, on:

• private land
• provincial Crown land
• lands under the administration and control of the Commissioner of Yukon, the Northwest Territories, or Nunavut
• Indigenous land
  • reserves and lands set aside for the use and benefit of Indigenous Peoples under the Indian Act or under section 91 (24) of the Constitution Act, 1867
  • other lands directly controlled by Indigenous Peoples (for example, land claim/treaty settlement lands and Métis Settlement lands)
  • lands where traditional food, social, and ceremonial activities (harvesting or other) are carried out by Indigenous Peoples

Eligible species

ECCC funds HSP projects on terrestrial species^{Footnote 1} at risk. The following species are eligible for funding under ECCC’s HSP:

• Species listed on schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) (except those listed as extirpated).
• Species that have been designated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as endangered, threatened, or special concern but that are not listed on schedule 1 of SARA.

To be eligible, proposed projects must demonstrate how they contribute directly to the recovery objectives and population goals of target species. For the most up-to-date list of species on schedule 1 of SARA, as well as their recovery strategies, action plans or management plans, or to search for COSEWIC-assessed species and to obtain their status reports, please consult the Species at risk public registry.

If your project targets aquatic species at risk, visit the HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk administered by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Eligible activities

The Habitat Stewardship Program funds the following activities. More details can be found in the applicant guide.

• Habitat protection and securement
• Habitat improvement
• Species and habitat threat abatement
• Conservation planning
• Surveys, inventories and monitoring
• Outreach and education
• Project evaluation

Important:

• Activities must be closely linked to prescribed recovery actions in recovery strategies, action plans or management plans when available for SARA-listed species or in wildlife/conservation plans for COSEWIC-designated species at risk not listed on Schedule 1 of SARA.
• Activities not covered in the above list may be considered, subject to further review.
• The creation of promotional merchandise (such as hats or mugs) is not eligible for HSP funding.
• Scientific research activities, captive breeding, captive rearing, extirpated species reintroductions, the development of recovery strategies or action plans (including the identification of critical habitat, as required under SARA) are not eligible for HSP funding. However, HSP-funded activities can contribute to the content of recovery documents, such as through the collection of species data that can be used to inform on habitat needs, threat mitigation measures, etc.
• Habitat securement is not an eligible activity for HSP funding for for-profit recipients.

Priorities for 2026-2027

We review HSP funding priorities annually to ensure they align with the Government of Canada’s priorities. Please consult the list of regional priorities and other funding considerations below to determine whether your project has a better chance of being funded.

Although the HSP funds projects on target species, we recognize that actions for one or more of these species may benefit multiple other species. You can highlight this in your application.

Atlantic region (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick)

For the Atlantic region, only projects targeting the following priorities will be considered, and all others will be screened out:

• Piping Plover melodus subspecies:
  • Actions to address threats and reduce the impact of human activities and disturbance in beach habitats
• Roseate Tern:
  • Actions to reduce predation, mitigate human disturbance, and improve nesting success at breeding colonies, including through installation and maintenance of nest shelters, invasive vegetation removal, predator monitoring, and site surveillance
• Bank Swallow:
  • Actions to address threats and reduce the impact of human activities and disturbance in nesting and other habitats, including through identification, stewardship, protection, and restoration of nesting habitat and reducing the impacts of pesticide use on insect (food) availability
• At Risk Reptile species, e.g. Wood Turtle, Eastern Ribbonsnake:
  • Actions to address threats to adult reptiles and reduce the impact of human activities and disturbance in multiple habitats
• At Risk Limestone Barrens species, e.g. Fernald’s Braya:
  • Actions to address threats and reduce the impact of human activities and disturbance, restoration
• At Risk Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora species, e.g. Pink Coreopsis, Tall Beakrush:
  • Actions to address threats and reduce the impact of human activities and disturbance
• At Risk Lichen species, e.g. Boreal Felt Lichen, Atlantic population, Wrinkled Shingle Lichen:
  • Actions to address threats and reduce the impact of human activities and disturbance on a landscape scale

Quebec region

The Quebec region does not prioritize one species at risk over another or specific actions for the 2026-2027 call for applications.

Ontario region

Projects that directly support the protection, recovery, and/or threat mitigation of the following species at risk through habitat creation, restoration, and/or connectivity efforts will be prioritized for funding:

• Amphibians:
  • Jefferson Salamander, including Unisexual Ambystoma, Jefferson Salamander dependent population
  • Western Chorus Frog, Great Lakes / St. Lawrence – Canadian Shield population
• Arthropods:
  • Monarch
  • Mottled Duskywing, Great Lakes Plains population
  • Eastern Persius Duskywing
• Birds:
  • Forest birds:
    • Cerulean Warbler
    • Louisiana Waterthrush
  • Shorebirds:
    • Buff-breasted Sandpiper
    • Hudsonian Godwit
    • Lesser Yellowlegs
    • Red Knot rufa subspecies, all SARA-listed Ontario populations
    • Red-necked Phalarope
  • Other at-risk birds:
    • Bank Swallow
    • Eastern Whip-poor-will
    • Grasshopper Sparrow pratensis subspecies
    • Kirtland’s Warbler
    • Piping Plover circumcinctus subspecies
    • Red-headed Woodpecker
• Reptiles:
  • Blanding’s Turtle, Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population
  • Eastern Foxsnake, Carolinian population
  • Spiny Softshell
• Vascular plants:
  • Bird’s-foot Violet
  • Colicroot
  • Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid
  • Hairy Valerian
  • Virginia Goat’s-rue

Please note that for projects targeting Monarch, we will prioritize projects that support Monarch recovery by creating places for feeding, breeding, or resting in the southern Great Lakes Region near Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, or Lake Huron, or along the St. Lawrence River. These sites should be within about 1 km of these areas, although this can vary depending on the local landscape. Each project must cover at least 5 hectares, either in one large area or in connected smaller areas that add up to 5 hectares or more. Small pollinator gardens or tiny plantings do not qualify.

Prairie region (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta)

While the following priorities are not mandatory, projects that address one or more of them will have a higher likelihood of being funded:

• Projects focused on Habitat Retention & Natural Process Restoration, specifically:
  • Protection or habitat improvement of grassland, sand dune and/or riparian habitats threatened by alterations to natural disturbance regimes or conversion to other land types or
  • Activities that lead to reduced pesticide use or residue in pollinator and/or riparian habitats
• Projects focused on the Invasive/Problematic Species Control, specifically the removal and management of invasive species in native prairie and sand dune habitats
• Projects that evaluate the effectiveness of stewardship and habitat improvement measures in grassland, sand dune, and/or riparian habitats, as measured by impacts on species-at-risk distribution, population levels, and/or population trends
• Projects requesting $50,000–$60,000 per year for up to 3 years
• In addition:
  • All projects must occur within, or encompass, the habitat of at least one target species at risk
  • Preference will be given to projects that result in concrete, cost-effective and long-term habitat improvement outcomes

Pacific region (British Columbia)

For the Pacific region, only projects targeting the following priorities will be considered, and all others will be screened out:

• Site/area management, specifically addressing landscape fragmentation and loss of connectivity for mammal, reptile and amphibian populations suffering increased mortality caused by collisions on transportation and service corridors
• Problematic species control, specifically addressing the threat of the pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, causing White Nose Syndrome in Myotis and other bat species at risk
• Habitat & natural process restoration, specifically addressing:
  • Antelope brush/needle and thread grass ecosystem threatened by residential and commercial development, recreational activities, or by agriculture
  • Garry oak and associated ecosystems threatened by residential and commercial development, recreational activities, or by agriculture
  • Grasslands of Central Interior, Southern Interior (Southern Okanagan-Similkameen Valleys), and Southern Rocky Mountain Trench threatened by residential and commercial development, recreational activities, or by agriculture
  • Riparian habitats threatened by residential and commercial development, recreational activities, or by agriculture
  • Natural process restoration using controlled fire regimes: reducing canopy cover or fuel load in oak or conifer woodlands threatened by fire and fire management
• Species recovery, addressing augmentation of endangered species populations, specifically: augmentation of rust-resistant individuals of Whitebark Pine threatened by the pathogen White Pine Blister Rust; or population augmentation of Vancouver Island Marmot threatened by native predators

Northern region (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut)

The Northern region does not prioritize one species at risk over another or specific actions for the 2026-2027 call for applications.

Other funding considerations

HSP project applications also have a higher chance of success if they:

• implement high priority activities described in established recovery documents, established wildlife or habitat conservation plans
• increase or improve quality of critical habitat or other important habitat
• target multiple species and demonstrate a focus on ecosystem-based recovery initiatives
• involve collaboration among multiple partners, with priority being given to projects that involve a greater number of confirmed partners
• mitigate the threats of climate change to the target species
• contribute a high ratio of matching funds from non-federal sources
• have a high proportion of eligible matching funds in cash rather than in-kind
• have a well-developed workplan showing appropriate results for the investment, and a clear and appropriate plan to measure project results

Project funding and eligible expenses

Project funding

HSP funding is variable and dependent on project activities. To promote collaboration and multi-year projects, we suggest a minimum funding request of $25,000. Project funding typically ranges from $25,000 to $100,000 per year.

At least 80% of the program funds must be allocated to projects targeting species listed on schedule 1 of SARA. The remaining funds may be used for projects targeting eligible species not listed on schedule 1.

Important:

• You can request funding for a new project or for additional funds to an ongoing project that will continue in 2026-2027. Each request can be for one to five years. HSP projects cannot exceed 10 years in total.
• Non-Indigenous applicants will be required to obtain a minimum of 1:1 matching contributions from non-federal sources ($1 match for every $1 HSP funding).
• Indigenous applicants will be required to obtain a minimum of 0.20:1 matching contribution from non-federal sources ($0.20 match for every $1 HSP funding).
• Contributions can be financial or in-kind (equipment loans, donations of building materials, and volunteer labour).

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses may include reasonable and properly itemized costs for:

• Salaries and wages
• Management and professional service expenditures (such as communications, Official Languages translation, accounting)
• Contractors
• Travel
• Material and supplies expenditures
• Purchase of capital assets
• Equipment rentals
• Costs associated with eligible land securement initiatives and projects such as land costs, legal charges, appraisals, surveys, baseline documentation, land transfer tax
• Overhead
• Printing, production, and distribution expenditures
• Vehicle rental and operation expenditures
• Hospitality expenditures
• Costs associated with an Indigenous participation or ceremony
• Monetary honoraria offered to Indigenous Elders and/or Knowledge Keepers related to specific participation activities
• Other expenditures
• Expenditures for preparing an independent financial accounting
• Further disbursement of ECCC funding to final recipients
• Lease of office space
• The purchase of eligible carbon offset credits for events, conferences, and travel

Only the expenses deemed to be reasonable for completing the project shall be considered eligible. Please note that costs associated with eligible land securement and purchase of capital assets are not eligible for for-profit recipients. The HSP Applicant guide gives more details about project expenses eligible for HSP funds.

Permits

If your project is successful in obtaining HSP funding, you will be responsible for obtaining all the appropriate permits associated with your project, including those required under SARA, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and any other provincial or territorial acts that may apply, wherever the need for a permit is triggered. As permits take time to arrange, you should address this need several months before the project start date, to reduce delays once we announce funding decisions. See the Species at risk public registry for more information on SARA permits and the Migratory bird permits and registries for migratory bird permits.

Related links

Please see the following websites for additional information.

• Species at Risk Act
• Species at risk public registry
• COSEWIC
• Migratory bird permits and registries

Contact us

For general ECCC or Canadian Wildlife Service enquiries, please contact 1-800-668-6767 or ec.enviroinfo.ec@ec.gc.ca.

If you have any further questions, please contact the national HSP secretariat at PIH-HSP@ec.gc.ca, or contact your regional HSP coordinators. Please note that regional HSP coordinators are available to answer questions during regular business hours, local time.

Regional HSP coordinators

Atlantic region (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick)
Email: SCF-Atl.PIH-CWS-Atl.HSP@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 506-536-8754

Quebec region
Email: PIHOntario-HSPOntario@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 581-703-2747

Ontario region
Email: PIHOntario-HSPOntario@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 416-433-8322

Prairie region (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta)
Email: PrairiePIH-HSPPrairie@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 639-398-6402

Pacific region (British Columbia)
Email: PIHPacific-HSPPacific@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 343-572-1563

Northern region (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut)
Email: eepintendancenord-sarstewardshipnorthern@ec.gc.ca
Telephone: 867-334-7393