Ottawa opens $77.5-million aquatic-species funding call

The federal government has opened a call for projects under the Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk.

Applications will be accepted from September 16 through November 16, 2026. The program has a five-year budget of $77.5 million, or $15.5 million annually.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada says it is looking for multi-year, multi-partner projects that protect and recover aquatic species at risk. The nine priority areas include the St. Lawrence Lowlands in Québec, giving the call potential relevance to organizations working in and around the St. Lawrence watershed.

The department says more than 150 projects have received over $120 million since 2018, producing 1,210 recovery measures involving almost 200 species. Those figures describe previous program activity, not awards under the new call.

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Aquatic species at risk call for projects, published September 16, 2026.