Deadline: 25-Feb-21
The Government of Canada is currently accepting proposals for the Atlantic Ecosystems Initiatives (AEI) to improve the health, productivity and long-term sustainability of ecosystems in Atlantic Canada.
It supports projects that use an ecosystem-based approach that includes broad partnerships and collaborative action leading to positive environmental results.
Objectives
Projects must improve the assessment, monitoring, modeling and/or mitigation of multiple stressors and their cumulative effects on water quality in one of the priority ecosystems. Within this priority, projects are required to focus on specific stressors:
- nutrients and/or
- bacteria and/or
- plastics
Funding Information
The current request for proposals is for projects that will begin on or after April 1, 2021 and completed no later than March 31, 2024. Projects are eligible for funding up to a maximum of $200,000 per project and must be completed within 3 years.
Eligible Projects
Funding will be provided for projects that:
- Enhance integrated ecosystem planning and decision-making: Projects will address complex water quality issues through integrated planning and collaborative decision-making that will lead to action and measureable environmental results. Eligible activities include:
- expansion of existing and/or the development of new integrated strategies, plans, frameworks and action plans
- adaptation planning
- integration of data/information
- Increase ecosystem knowledge and science: Projects will increase knowledge to better understand and address issues that affect the health of Atlantic Canada’s priority ecosystems. Projects will involve the collection, interpretation, analysis and sharing of information to support informed decisions and action. Eligible activities include:
- GIS mapping
- vulnerability, risk, stressor, and/or threat assessments
- measurement, analysis or modelling of ecosystem changes or trends
- measurement, assessment, monitoring or modeling of multiple stressors and their cumulative effects
- assessment of baseline environmental conditions
- development of scientific tools, techniques, indicators and approaches
- Undertake actions that impact priority ecosystems in Atlantic Canada to conserve, restore and enhance the health of ecosystems: Projects will involve water quality conservation, restoration and enhancement as part of an overall strategic plan. Projects must demonstrate an ecosystem-based approach and show how the work is part of an overall strategic plan for the watershed. Eligible activities include:
- best management practices to improve water quality (such as livestock fencing, riparian enhancement, erosion control)
- reducing water quality stressors or impacts
Eligibility Criteria
- Only Atlantic Canadian-based organizations are eligible to apply and include:
- Indigenous governments and organizations
- non-governmental organizations
- coalitions and networks of organizations
- research and academic institutions
- Although business/industry, federal, provincial, and municipal governments are not eligible funding recipients, they are encouraged to partner with applicants on projects.
For more information, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/programs/atlantic-ecosystems-initiatives.html