What We Do
We recognize the importance of aquatic habitat and the impact that ecosystem management choices and development can have on the health and sustainability of watersheds. Aquatic Habitat Canada works to encourage and assist governments, local communities, Indigenous organizations, industry stakeholders and conservation organizations to more effectively protect and restore aquatic ecosystems to ensure they are healthy, resilient to the effects of changing climate and environmental conditions, and provide ecosystem services to their full potential.
Aquatic Habitat Canada’s work is delivered under four core themes
Restoration Planning and Prioritization
Supporting the planning and prioritization of aquatic habitat restoration and protection activities.
Resources and Capacity-Building
Supporting strategic coordination and delivery of aquatic habitat conservation resources and capacity building.
Knowledge Synthesis and Transfer
Facilitating improved coordination, synthesis, and sharing of aquatic habitat conservation methods, data, and knowledge tools among organizations and across sectors and regions; recognizing and sharing (as appropriate) Indigenous Traditional Knowledge; and working to identify data and knowledge gaps.
Policy and Program
Collaboratively discussing aquatic habitat conservation policies and program implementation, including in response to specific requests from government; offering non-binding advice on areas of cross-sectoral agreement.
Aquatic Habitat Canada’s Guiding Principles
The members of Aquatic Habitat Canada collaborate pursuant to principles of impartiality, transparency and accountability in their joint work and decision-making. Members continuously work toward greater cultural competence, equity and inclusivity and therefore recognize the fundamental rights of Canada’s Indigenous peoples to the conservation and protection of the environment and to the productive capacity of their lands, territory and resources. The members of Aquatic Habitat Canada strive to establish and operate within an ethical space for cooperative, informed and respectful cross-cultural engagement, in a spirit of reconciliation.