Federal government invests $2.6 million to support migratory bird monitoring and conservation programs across the country

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- Nature is part of Canada's identity, economy, and well-being, providing clean air and water, supporting food systems, and strengthening climate resilience. Birds are among the most effective indicators of the health of our ecosystems and are at the heart of Canada's biodiversity. By protecting them and their habitats, we support healthy and prosperous communities.

Today, Wade Grant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced that the Government of Canada will invest $2.6 million to Birds Canada over five years to support a wide range of monitoring and conservation programs for migratory birds, including species at risk.

This initiative will take place in a range of habitats to gather new data on the distribution, abundance, status, and trends of migratory birds, including species at risk, and will mobilize experts and thousands of citizen scientists across Canada.

Bird monitoring provides important information to support science-based decision-making and help bring nature conservation into our economy, policies, and daily lives. The data collected will be made available through NatureCounts. This open data platform by Birds Canada, supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada, is one of the world's largest biodiversity databases. High quality, accessible data is key to reversing population declines and halting biodiversity loss.

Quotes

"Protecting, restoring, and valuing nature is a foundation of our economy, sovereignty, and well-being. Monitoring and conserving birds contributes to understanding environmental change, assessing the impacts of climate change, and protecting biodiversity. It's an essential piece to ensure healthy ecosystems for present and future generations."
– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature

"From our backyards to our forests, wetlands, and coastlines, birds are an important part of Canada's biodiversity. They are also powerful indicators of the health of our ecosystems, and monitoring their populations helps us understand how nature is changing. Data from this initiative will inform conservation efforts across Canada and help us take action to protect birds and the habitats they depend on. Through A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature, we are building the knowledge we need to protect nature and deliver lasting results for Canadians."
– The Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature)

"Canadians have a special fondness for migratory birds. From our smallest community parks to our largest national parks, birds are part of the landscapes and places we cherish. I am inspired by the leadership of citizen scientists and organizations like Birds Canada that are helping build a stronger, more nature-positive future."
– Wade Grant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"This five-year agreement with Environment and Climate Change Canada empowers tens of thousands of Canadians to make meaningful contributions to nature conservation. The scientific evidence collected by these skilled volunteers will help conserve and steward important habitats so that the birds we love can thrive."
– Patrick Nadeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Birds Canada

Quick facts

• This investment supports many programs across Canada, such as the Breeding Bird Atlases in Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Newfoundland; species-at-risk recovery planning in Ontario; the American Woodcock Surveys in Eastern Canada; and conservation planning for aerial insectivores and grassland birds at risk.
• NatureCounts provides a critical link between those who collect data and those who can use it for conservation and research. The data from this platform can be used to inform environmental impact assessments, climate research, and industry practices. The data can also help determine the impacts of climate change stressors on ecosystems, biodiversity, and species, and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and recovery actions.
• This investment will help ensure that the best available biodiversity data, information, and knowledge are accessible to decision-makers, practitioners, and the public.
• The Government of Canada is investing $3.8 billion in A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature. Canada's Nature Strategy will advance conservation, support Indigenous-led stewardship, foster partnerships nationwide, and provide the data and tools needed to protect nature--including migratory birds--while enabling responsible development.

Associated links

• NatureCounts: Open Data Platform by Birds Canada
• A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature
• Birds Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada's X page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's LinkedIn page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Instagram page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Contacts : Amy Falkner, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]