Conservation commitment on the boreal caribou: Val-d'Or population

a collaboration agreement between the governments of Canada and Quebec 

Over the next few weeks, the governments of Canada and Quebec will finalize a collaboration agreement to support the efforts of the Lac Simon, Kitcisakik, and Long Point Algonquin First Nations to implement measures targeting the Val-d’Or population. They will also focus on discussions to reach an agreement that will contain robust conservation and recovery measures for boreal caribou elsewhere in Quebec.

a contribution agreement between the Government of Canada and the Lac Simon, Kitcisakik, and Long Point Algonquin First Nations

Environment and Climate Change Canada will contribute to the conservation of the Val-d’Or boreal caribou by supporting the Lac Simon, Kitcisakik, and Long Point Algonquin First Nations in their boreal caribou conservation efforts. Funding in the amount of $1.26 million will go toward

• awareness: increasing awareness in the Lac Simon community about the disturbance of caribou and appropriate behaviour in its habitat
• habitat management: restoring suitable caribou habitat in the distribution area of the Val-d’Or herd by helping to reforest forest roads that have been identified with the Government of Quebec
• population monitoring: collaborating with the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs in the collaring and annual aerial survey of caribou
• predator management: increasing efforts to control predators, such as wolves and bears, in the distribution area of the Val-d’Or caribou, in cooperation with the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs
  
• development of expertise: supporting the Lac Simon, Kitcisakik, and Long Point communities in their development of skills and expertise in managing the Val-d’Or caribou and its habitat
• research: supporting habitat-restoration activities for the Val-d’Or caribou through research projects
• knowledge sharing: sharing and exchanging data on the Val-d’Or population and its habitat and identifying a perimeter within which caribou-protection activities would be targeted
• collaboration: creating a committee made up of representatives from the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs; Environment and Climate Change Canada; and Lac Simon to monitor measures taken and maintain collaboration