Deadline: 27-Nov-2025
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is inviting applications for its Species Conservation Program to encourage people and organizations to get involved in conserving species at risk and their habitats through stewardship activities.
The program aims to preserve and rehabilitate habitats, support conservation education and outreach and fund activities like threat mitigation, field surveys, research, and incorporation of Indigenous knowledge.
For 2026–27, priorities focus on projects implementing conservation actions from government response statements, addressing threats and knowledge gaps through Indigenous collaboration, habitat restoration, and research, developing best management practices, and enhancing key ecosystems such as grasslands, alvars, oak woodlands, wetlands, and Carolinian forests to benefit multiple species at risk.
Projects focused on species classified by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) as extirpated, endangered, threatened or of special concern are eligible for funding.
Eligible activities include habitat management and restoration, direct threat mitigation, field-based surveys, inventories or monitoring, outreach and education, research, and integration of traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge.
Land securement projects are also eligible, provided they meet criteria such as a minimum property size, confirmation of species presence, and development of a property management plan to ensure long-term stewardship.
The funding supports various cost categories including staff wages, goods, services, consultants, transportation, accommodation, food and beverages (under specified conditions), equipment, administration expenses, and support services.
For land securement, costs like land purchase, legal fees, and appraisals are eligible, with preference for projects that match provincial funds at a minimum 1:1 ratio. Requested funds for administration expenses and support services combined cannot exceed 10% of the total funds requested or $20,000 per year on average across all years, whichever is less.
Projects receiving more than $750,000 in Species Conservation Program funding are required to submit an audited financial statement as part of their final report; however, the cost of this audit cannot be covered using Species Conservation Program funds.
Open to a wide range of applicants, including individuals, academic institutions, consulting companies, businesses, Indigenous communities and organizations, landowners, farmers, municipal and local governments, and non-government organizations, the program promotes strong participation across Ontario.
Applicants are encouraged to review relevant provincial conservation documents such as recovery strategies, government response statements, and review of progress reports to ensure their projects align with Ontario’s species recovery goals.
Applications are assessed based on alignment with program objectives and priorities, conservation value, project design, expertise, partnerships, budget appropriateness, and potential for long-term benefits.
Projects that demonstrate meaningful impact on species conservation, complement existing initiatives, and make results publicly accessible will be evaluated more favorably.
By engaging diverse communities and encouraging collaboration across multiple sectors, the Species Conservation Program reinforces Ontario’s long-standing commitment to preserving biodiversity and protecting species at risk for future generations.
For more information, visit Government of Ontario.