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

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.

September 16, 2026 – Vancouver, British Columbia

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.