Deadline: 24-Jul-25
The Government of Canada, through Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is accepting applications for the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF). This initiative is designed to support projects that benefit Canada’s natural environment, especially in regions affected by environmental violations.
The EDF is a mechanism that invests money from fines, penalties, court orders, and voluntary payments made following environmental infractions. These funds are then directed toward priority projects that aim to restore ecosystems, improve environmental quality, support research, and raise public awareness. The programme is delivered in collaboration with agencies such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada, and aims to ensure that environmental harm is addressed through meaningful action.
The primary objective of EDF-funded projects is to restore and conserve Canada’s natural resources, wildlife, and habitats in a cost-effective, scientifically sound, and technically feasible manner. To achieve this, the EDF supports four main categories of work: restoration, environmental quality improvement, research and development, and education and awareness.
Restoration projects focus on rehabilitating natural resources that were damaged, either at the original location or in another area of comparable ecological value. Environmental quality improvement projects aim to enhance or protect different natural resources, again either at the site of the incident or in a different, ecologically beneficial location.
Research and development activities may include environmental damage assessments, investigations into the long-term impacts of pollution, or the development of new techniques for assessing and valuing environmental harm. Education and awareness projects are centered on promoting public understanding of environmental damage and restoration, increasing compliance with environmental laws, and building community stewardship and capacity.
Currently, there is $16 million in available funding for projects that support the conservation, protection, or restoration of fish and fish habitats within Qukin ʔamakʔis (Elk Valley) and the immediate downstream areas within Canada. Applicants must request a minimum of $250,000 in funding to be considered eligible. While there is no maximum project duration, most EDF-funded initiatives are completed within three years and generally do not exceed five.
To be eligible for EDF funding, projects must align with the above categories. Examples include restoration of natural resources of similar type, quality, and value as those that were lost; environmental improvements in either the original area or a related location; scientific research into environmental damage and restoration planning; and public education initiatives that foster awareness and compliance with environmental regulations.
Certain types of activities are not eligible for EDF funding. These include legally mandated cleanup efforts, restoration of contaminated sites, infrastructure projects under existing government programs, lobbying, recreational or beautification projects, and preparation of formal curriculum materials. General organizational functions such as meetings and maintenance are also ineligible, though administrative costs directly related to the funded project are allowed.
Eligible applicants must be not-for-profit entities. This includes environmental NGOs, registered charities, Indigenous organizations such as tribal councils and First Nations communities, academic institutions, and provincial, territorial, and municipal governments. Applicants must include a valid organizational identification number, such as a charitable registration number or First Nations Band Number, in their proposal.
Ineligible applicants include individuals, businesses, and federal government departments and agencies. However, these entities may serve as project partners under certain conditions. An offender that was fined under the Fisheries Act is not eligible to apply directly for funding, but they may participate as a project partner—provided they do not influence project decision-making and that the outcomes of the project are made publicly available or benefit a larger community that includes the offender.
International organizations are also not eligible to apply directly, but they may support or partner on projects as long as the activities take place within Canada or directly benefit Canadians.
For more information, visit Government of Canada.
