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2026 to 2027 Expression of Interest: Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk

An Expression of Interest (EOI) is no longer mandatory; however, an EOI may be helpful for new proponents to support a discussion and early feedback on your project and to ensure its alignment with program priorities, expected results, and reporting requirements.

The feedback you will receive will improve the quality of your proposal but does not guarantee that the project will receive funding.

The HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk has an approximate annual national budget of $4M. Single and multi-year projects will be considered for funding, with multi-year projects being eligible for up to a 3 year maximum. The suggested funding range for requests to HSP should fall between $25,000 to $100,000 (per fiscal year) per project. It is strongly suggested that the funding request stay within this recommended range. Anything greater may need to be scaled back, which can be challenging. Please contact your HSP Regional Coordinator if you have questions about funding amounts.

Your completed EOI form must be submitted by November 21, 2025 (11:59 pm for your region), to the appropriate HSP Regional Coordinator. Early submissions are encouraged.

This is the organization or identity that would sign a Contribution Agreement with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Appendix 2

Overview of your project: Provide a brief overview of the project (max. 1 page). The content should clearly address each of the following items:

Type of project: Identify the type of project (for example, restoration, outreach, etc.)

Project timing: What is the timeline for the project to be implemented (single-year, multi-year)?

Project purpose: What are the project’s goal(s) and objective(s)?

Project location: Identify the province, region, and main geographic area where the work would take place (watersheds, rivers, etc.). Include whether it is in a regional priority area (where applicable). If more than one location, please specify all areas.

Target species: Name the target aquatic species at risk that would benefit from the initiative and their SARA-listed status or COSEWIC assessed designation; can include multiple species.

Activities: List the activities proposed to be funded by HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk that address the recovery need/threat of the species.

Partners: List all project partners and indicate whether they are Indigenous.

Budget Estimates: General estimates, including HSP ask.

Arctic

David Slater
Telephone: 867-669-4900
Email: DFO.ARCHSP-PIHARC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Gulf

Lisa Robichaud
Telephone: 506-377-3178
Email: DFO.HspGlf-PihGlf.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Maritimes

Lisa Paon
Telephone: 902-483-5495
Email: DFO.HspMar-PihMar.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Newfoundland and Labrador

Lynette Mulley
Email: DFO.HspNfl-PihTnl.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Ontario and Prairie

Kristie Pearce
Telephone: 431-334-7210
Email: DFO.HspOpr-PihRop.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Pacific

Athen Yuen
Telephone: 778-955-8334
Email: DFO.HspPyr-PihRpy.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Quebec

Élyse Leduc
Telephone: 438-340-9834
Email: DFO.HspQc-PihQc.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Appendix 1: Regional priorities
Region Species Areas Threats
Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Wolffish Species (Northern, Spotted, Atlantic)
  • Leatherback and Loggerhead Sea Turtle
  • Whale Species (Blue Whale, Fin Whale, North Atlantic Right Whale, Harbour Porpoise)
  • Freshwater / diadromous (Atlantic salmon - South Newfoundland population, American eel, Banded Killifish)
  • Sharks and Skates (White Shark, Porbeagle, Shortfin Mako, Basking Shark, Smooth Skate, Thorny Skate)
N/A
  • Fisheries interactions (for example, incidental catch/bycatch, entanglements, illegal harvest)
  • Vessel and other vehicle interactions (for example, ship strikes, acoustic disturbances)
  • Pollution and water quality
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, migration barriers, climate change impacts)
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species
Maritimes
  • Atlantic Salmon (Inner Bay of Fundy population)
  • Atlantic Whitefish
  • Leatherback and Loggerhead Sea Turtle
  • Whale Species (North Atlantic Right Whale, Blue Whale, Fin Whale)
  • Freshwater and marine bivalves (Yellow Lampmussel, Brook Floater, Atlantic Mud-piddock)
N/A
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, climate change impacts, migration barriers)
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species
  • Fisheries interactions (for example, incidental catch/bycatch, entanglements)
  • Vessel and other vehicle interactions (for example, ship strikes)
  • Acoustic disturbances
Gulf
  • Brook Floater
  • Atlantic Salmon
  • North Atlantic Right Whale
  • Blue Whale, Fin Whale
  • Winter Skate
N/A
  • Vessel and other vehicle interactions (for example, ship strikes, acoustic disturbances)
  • Fisheries interactions (for example, incidental catch/bycatch, entanglements, illegal harvest)
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, temperature, sediment/nutrient, contaminants)
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species
Quebec
  • Whale species: Beluga Whale, Blue Whale, North Atlantic Right Whale, Fin Whale
  • Freshwater fishes: Copper Redhorse, Eastern Sand Darter, Cutlip Minnow, Channel Darter, Bridle Shiner
  • White Shark
  • Vessel and other vehicle interactions (for example, ship strikes, acoustic disturbances)
  • Fisheries interactions (for example, incidental catch/bycatch, entanglements, prey availability)
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, destruction of seagrass beds, bank artificialization, wave action, soil compaction or erosion, alteration of shorelines and riparian buffers, water contamination)
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species

Ontario and Prairie

(Ontario)

  • Redside Dace
  • Pugnose Shiner
  • Pugnose Minnow
  • Black Redhorse
  • SARA-listed Freshwater Mussels
  • Lake St. Clair and contributing watersheds
  • Lake Erie and contributing watersheds
  • Lake Ontario and contributing watersheds
  • Lake Huron and contributing watersheds
  • Lakes and contributing watersheds of Upper (western) St. Lawrence River
  • Pollution and water quality
  • Habitat alteration and degradation
  • Altered flows, water levels, or coastal process
  • Restrictions/barriers to fish passage

Ontario and Prairie

(Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta)

  • Bigmouth Buffalo
  • Lake Sturgeon
  • Southern Prairie Species (Western Silvery Minnow, Rocky Mountain Sculpin, Plains Sucker, Plains Minnow)
  • AB Native Trout (Athabasca Rainbow, Westslope Cutthroat, Bull (Western Arctic, SK-Nelson))
  • Native Lampreys (Northern Brook and Silver)
  • Peace/Slave/Athabasca River Basin
  • North and South Saskatchewan River basin
  • Southern Prairie Region (Milk River, St. Mary River, Qu’Appelle River)
  • Winnipeg/Red/Assiniboine River Basin
  • East Slopes Rocky Mountains
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, feeding, spawning, nursery, overwintering, migration)
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species
  • Altered flows, water levels, or coastal process
  • Disease and pathogens
  • Restrictions/barriers to fish passage

Arctic

(Northwest Territories and Nunavut)

  • Dolly Varden (Western Arctic)
  • Beluga (Cumberland Sound)
  • Bull Trout (Western Arctic)
  • Arctic Marine Fish
  • Arctic Marine Mammals
  • Foxe Basin/ Hudson Bay/Hudson Strait
  • Mackenzie River tributaries/Peel River System
  • Beaufort Sea/Amundsen Gulf
  • Queen Maud Gulf to Lancaster Sound
  • Baffin Bay/Davis Strait
  • Vessel and other vehicle interactions (for example, ship strikes, acoustic disturbances)
  • Fisheries interactions (for example, incidental catch/bycatch, entanglements, illegal harvest, prey availability)
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, climate change impacts, new predators)
Pacific
  • Cetaceans assessed by COSEWIC and/or listed under SARA as threatened or endangered
  • Northern Abalone
  • Freshwater species assessed as at risk by COSEWIC
All aquatic habitat (marine and freshwater) within DFO Pacific Region
  • Fisheries interactions (for example, incidental catch/bycatch, entanglements, illegal harvest, prey availability)
  • Vessel and other vehicle interactions (for example, ship strikes, acoustic disturbances)
  • Habitat alteration and degradation (for example, feeding, spawning, rearing, overwintering, migration)
  • Pollution and water quality
  • Aquatic invasive and introduced species
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