2025 to 2026 Application Instructions: Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk

Instructions for applicants to complete an application form to the Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) for Aquatic Species at Risk 2025 to 2026 Funding Cycle

In this section

• Purpose
• Propose a new project
• 1 Applicant information
• 2 Overview and project description
• 3 Proposal background
• 4 Work plan
• 5 Project budget and expenditures
• 6 Project support
• 7 Measuring program performance
• Regional priorities
• Regional coordinators

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide applicants with additional information to complete an application for the HSP Aquatic Species at Risk 2025 to 2026 funding cycle. Please follow the step-by-step instructions below to ensure the Application Form is complete. General program information, including eligibility requirements is found in the HSP Program Guide.

For any inquiries related to the application process, please contact the appropriate HSP Regional Coordinator (Appendix 1).

Propose a new project

A) Full legal name of applicant

This is the organization or individual that would sign a Contribution Agreement with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The name must correspond to the name to be used on any cheques and Income Tax Returns if the application is approved and must be a legal entity or individual.

• The legal name of the applicant submitted in the application must be used in the contribution agreement. Legal names cannot be adjusted following submission of the application or during negotiation of the contribution agreement.
• Please avoid the use of acronyms, unless included in the legal name of the organization.

B) Project title

This title would be used in all communications related to the proposal. Therefore, it must describe the work undertaken and/or the project purpose, the project location if possible, and be easily understood by an external audience (max 15 words).

Example: Remediation of Barriers to Fish Migration in New Brunswick:

• no acronyms
• do not make reference to the year or phase of a project (e.g., Year 1 of 3), as this will be addressed in other portions of the application and evaluation process

C) Province(s)/territory(ies) in which the project will be undertaken

If the project occurs in more than one provincial/territorial jurisdiction, please identify in which province/territory the majority of the activities will occur.

1 Applicant information

1.1 Project management team and contact information

a) Organization description

Please provide a brief description of your organization including its mandate (max 150 words. E.g., "Not for profit organization registered in 1998 and dedicated to the conservation of rare and endangered aquatic fauna, etc.").

b) Duly authorized representative

Should the project be approved, please identify your organization’s representative that would sign a contribution agreement with DFO.

c) Project manager

Please identify the main/principal project contact.

d) Address

Address for all correspondence, including payments, if the application is approved.

1.2 Organization type and business number

Check the applicant organization type and enter the federal business number and/or GST/HST number and/or band number of your organization/Indigenous group. Society numbers are not acceptable in this section. Please also indicate the tax percentage that is reimbursable to your organization by the federal and provincial governments, whether you plan to claim it or not.

1.3 Program/project delivery experience

a) Experience in Delivering Stewardship Programs or Projects:

Briefly provide a description of your organization's experience and capacity in delivering and completing stewardship^{Footnote 1} programs or projects, including any that have focused on species at risk. In addition, please also reflect on your organization’s ability to plan, manage and complete a project, as well as the relevant experience of your project leader, and any previous work funded by HSP (max 250 words).

b) Team members

Please provide the names, titles and relevant experience of the different team members. Include, if applicable, reference to any previous experience working on HSP projects (max 250 words).

1.4 Application to other DFO funding programs

1. Please indicate if your organization has applied to any other DFO contribution program for the proposed project (for some activities or for the whole project).
2. If applicable, please provide a list of other DFO contribution programs you are applying to.

2 Overview and project description

The Overview and Project Description is divided into 3 sections, Project Overview, Project Description and Outcomes Description, and is meant to provide details of the proposed project outcomes to be accomplished using HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk funding and matching funds. It is best to complete this section last, since it draws from information provided in the rest of the proposal – it should not contain new information. It must contain sufficient information to "stand alone" during the review and approval phases so a sufficient amount of detail is required. In other words, be sure to spell out acronyms, and do not assume that the reader is familiar with or has read the full proposal.

2.1.1 Project overview and outcomes

Provide a brief overview of the project (max 750 words). The content should clearly address each of the following items:

Type of project:

Identify the type of project (e.g., restoration, outreach…etc.), and whether it is a single or multi-year project.

Overall project purpose:

What is/are the project’s goal(s) and objective(s)? (1 to 2 sentences).

Location of project:

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.

Species:

Name the target aquatic species at risk and their status (SARA-listed and whether special concern, threatened, endangered, or assessed by COSEWIC but not listed) that would be addressed by the initiative – can include more than one.

Threats:

What is/are the main threat(s) faced by the species that the project would address? Be clear. Include whether it is in a regional priority threat (where applicable).

Anticipated project benefits/outcome:

How would the project contribute to the recovery of the target species? How would the project address the HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk national and regional priorities?

Program Expected Results:

Which of the three Expected Results of the HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk, listed below, would be addressed by the project (more than one can be included) and explain specifically how it/they would be achieved. Each expected result should be listed with a brief explanation of how the results are being met.

• Important habitat  for aquatic species at risk is improved and/or managed to meet their recovery needs
• Threats to aquatic species at risk and/or their habitat are stopped, removed, and/or mitigated
• Collaboration and partnerships support the conservation and recovery of aquatic species at risk

Performance Evaluation:

How would the impact of each project activity on the recovery of species and their habitats be measured and reported on for the project? Does the organization have baseline data to compare against/evaluate post-project status? What indicators would be used to assess project success?

Example of a project overview and outcome

This 1-year project will address migration barriers, a high priority threat to the endangered inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic Salmon through the remediation of barriers to fish migration. The project will take place in the Debert River watershed near Debert Nova Scotia, an important freshwater habitat for iBoF Atlantic Salmon. The remediation of culverts is expected to create access to a quantifiable amount of currently fragmented habitat for Atlantic Salmon in the watershed. Other fish species found in the watershed will also be tagged to quantify their movements in areas that have been remediated. This 1-year project will address migration barriers, a high priority threat to the endangered inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic Salmon through the remediation of barriers to fish migration. The project will take place in the Debert River watershed near Debert Nova Scotia, an important freshwater habitat for iBoF Atlantic Salmon. The remediation of culverts is expected to create access to a quantifiable amount of currently fragmented habitat for Atlantic Salmon in the watershed. Other fish species found in the watershed will also be tagged to quantify their movements in areas that have been remediated.  The project is expected to contribute to three of the HSP program’s expected results: important habitat for species at risk recovery is improved; threats to individual species at risk and/or their habitat are mitigated; and project benefits are sustained over time by engaging Canadians to participate directly in activities that support the recovery of species at risk. The long-term outcome of the barrier remediation activities will be to re-establish access for Atlantic Salmon to quality habitat that was previously fragmented and inaccessible. The objective of the outreach activities is to provide information to the local communities about the remediation work being carried out, specifically to raise awareness about the negative impacts that culverts can have on Atlantic Salmon if they are unable to reach spawning grounds and other important habitats. In addition, the increased awareness may generate volunteers for remediation activities. The long-term outcome of increasing youth awareness of the importance of having non-fragmented and easily accessible habitat for Atlantic Salmon, is to create future stewards for the species and habitat.

2.1.2 Project description

Describe in detail the project to be carried out for which funding is being requested (max 500 words). This includes an outline of the specific work, tasks, activities and methodology that would be used to implement the project. The content should clearly demonstrate how the proposal addresses each one of the following items:

Activities:

List only the activities that address the recovery need/threat that is proposed to be funded by HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk. Do not repeat the details of the activities provided in the work plan section of the application, but rather provide a general explanation of how the activities would achieve the project objective(s). These should be listed as measurable deliverables—e.g., size of area to be restored, and how. Explain all activities for the layperson and make the link to the project objective(s) (do not use global terms like "enhancement activities will be undertaken" without describing what they will be).?

Project timing:

What is the timeline for the project to be implemented?

Example of a project description

Through improper installation, deterioration or other environmental factors, culverts can become barriers to fish migration, restricting fish access to upstream habitat, food sources, and spawning conditions. By remediating these culverts, access to quality currently fragmented habitat will be created. Migration barriers are identified as a freshwater habitat threat in the iBoF Atlantic Salmon Recovery Strategy.

The project will remediate culverts that have been previously assessed and determined to be in need of remediation. The group will use the Nova Scotia Structures Database to identify culverts that are barriers for fish due to too great of a slope or too large of an outflow drop. Consideration will also be given to the amount and quality of upstream habitat that will be made accessible when deciding which culverts to remediate. Culverts will then be remediated by installing wooden baffles and/or galvanized metal chutes. Remediation may also include improvement in tail water control or plunge pools through the addition of rock material.

The project will also tag various fish species by clipping adipose fins to quantify movement (iBoF Salmon will not be tagged, however, the conclusions made from tagging other species can be applied to Salmon). Tagging will provide information to determine the degree to which fish are able to pass through culvert pre-remediation and post-remediation.

A number of community and youth outreach activities will be undertaken to raise awareness about the issue of barriers to fish migration. Articles and updates will provide information to community members and youth will be exposed through materials created for school and community events.

2.2 Broader initiatives or plans

Describe how the proposed project could contribute to other (federal, provincial, local) stewardship and conservation programs, projects, and activities in the target project area. Please include an outline of the specific work, tasks, activities and methodology that would be used. (500 words max).

2.3 Collaboration among multiple stakeholders or partners

Please indicate if the project involves collaboration among multiple stakeholders or partners.

Include the following information: the name of the stakeholders or partners involved, and a description of the role of each stakeholder or partner in fulfilling project objectives. Letters of support can be attached to the application form.

3 Proposal background

3.1 Project location

Please indicate the specific habitat (e.g., marine, estuary) and geographic location where the project activities would take place. Latitude and longitude (using decimal degree format) information for the project locations are mandatory (e.g., latitude 43.09057, longitude -80.16062).

In Canada, the latitude is always positive and should be between 42° N and 83° N and the longitude is always negative and should be between -53° W and -141° W.

3.2 Importance of site

Does your project address critical habitats of SARA listed species?  If you selected yes, briefly describe how the project would contribute to maintain or improve the quality of the critical habitat of listed target species. Critical habitat is a habitat area essential to the survival and recovery of SARA listed species as defined in Species at Risk recovery strategies or action plans. Also include a short description of how you plan to verify and measure improvements in critical habitat for the project (within the lifespan of the project and longer-term follow-up if applicable). Also include the estimated percent of critical habitat that will be covered by this project (max 500 words).

If you answered no, briefly describe the importance of the site for the target species (max 35 lines).

3.3 National and Regional Priorities

a) Target species: SARA-listed, priority activities, threats, and regional priorities

Links to recovery strategies / action plans / management plans

The HSP projects must support the recovery of SAR and projects must be developed with an understanding of recovery activities outlined in Recovery Documents. For listed aquatic species at risk, Recovery Strategies, Action Plans and Management Plans establish the course of action to be taken and must be consulted in the preparation of your project. For additional information, contact your HSP Regional Coordinator or visit the SARA Public Registry.

Multi-Species Projects

Select the SARA-listed species targeted by the project, indicate the specific measures described in the recovery strategy, management plan or action plan and relate your project Activities to these measures. One row per measure (1 species can have many rows). Please refer to the provided spreadsheet (‘Measures for species’) for a quick reference to species and recovery measures. Add rows as required. 

Priority Activities

If your project focuses on the implementation of priority activities described in federal SAR recovery documents, briefly list the activities in the table.

Addressing threats to species and/or habitats

Please select yes or no if the project addresses the impacts of, or responds to, threats to the target species and/or their habitat as described in federal SAR recovery documents.

If you answered yes to this question, please identify the threat(s) to the target species and/or their habitats that will be addressed by the project and include actual content from the federal SAR recovery documents.

Regional Priorities

Please refer to the Regional Priorities Table and manually type in the exact term(s) from the table that apply to the target species.

b) Target Species: COSEWIC Assessed, priority activities, threats, and regional priorities

Multi-species Projects

Select the COSEWIC-assessed species targeted by the project, and indicate which project Activities address these species. Add rows as required.

Addressing threats to species and/or habitats

Please select yes or no if the project addresses the impacts of, or responds to, threats to the target species and/or their habitat as described in the COSEWIC assessment document.

If you answered yes to this question, please identify the threat(s) to the target species and/or their habitats that will be addressed by the project and include actual content from the COSEWIC assessment document.

Regional Priorities

Please refer to the Regional Priorities Table and manually type in the exact term(s) from the table that apply to the target species.

3.4 Recovery activity experts

Projects should be developed with the involvement of the Recovery Expert(s) for the target SAR and/or with the understanding of recovery activities outlined in recovery documents. Please list all recognized Recovery Experts or the responsible federal, provincial or territorial agency that were involved in the development of the project, or list the pertinent recovery activities that were considered.

4 Work plan

Please complete a Work Plan for EACH fiscal year of the project. Be sure you identify the fiscal year associated with each table (i.e., Annual Work Plan 2025 to 2026). An example has been provided in the table below to assist you in developing the work plan.

Please pay close attention to details you submit under General Description of the Activity, and ensure to include the target species the activity applies to. This information will be scrutinized by reviewers and, if the project is approved, will form the basis of the Contribution Agreement and associated reporting templates.

4.1 Project work plan

1. For each proposed project activity choose one activity category from the following list of eligible activity categories:
   1. Habitat Improvement
   2. Human Impact Mitigation
   3. Program Planning and Development
   4. Surveys, Inventories and Monitoring
   5. Project and Program Evaluation
   6. Outreach, and provide as short title/description of the activity
2. For each activity, provide an estimated contribution attributed to HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk. These amounts must match what is listed in the Project Budget and Expenditures of Section 7.
3. Provide an estimated start and end date for each activity.
4. Describe each project activity as they relate to Section 4 and concisely indicate which threat(s) is/are addressed by each activity (you can repeat threats if they are the same as the previous activity's) and provide details that support "what, why, where, by who, and how" for each activity. Be sure to list all of the target species (as listed in Table 3.2a) that the activity relates to as well.
5. List the various tasks that would occur during each activity.
6. Provide a list of deliverables you would provide to demonstrate the end results of each activity (i.e., summary report, photos, design plans). Should your project be approved for funding, deliverables related to expenses will be negotiated during drafting of the Contribution Agreement (i.e., Proof of Human Resources costs (with personal information redacted) for expenses paid by the HSP; receipts or a general ledger for any expense that is 5% or more of the annual HSP project request).

Example: 4.1.1 Annual work plan 2025 to 2026

1. Activity 1: Habitat Improvement – Restoration Activities
2. Estimated Cost HSP: $23,523
3. Start and End dates: May 15, 2025 to October 31, 2025
4. General Description of the Activity:
   Work with key stakeholders, agricultural and forestry practitioners, residential developers and ATV users to improve Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat by conducting riparian re-vegetation, install cattle fencing and ATV crossings at areas identified as immediate threats to the Westslope Cutthroat Trout and its habitat. Site assessments and consultations will be undertaken to design mitigation plans.
5. Tasks:
   • obtain any provincial permits required to carry out the activities
   • prepare sites for restoration activities (tree planting, cattle fences, and ATV crossings)
   • plant trees and shrubs at identified sites
   • install cattle fencing at identified sites
   • install ATV crossings at identified sites
   • stabilization any required areas at the restoration sites
   • acknowledge DFO funding for communications products (signage) produced using HSP funds; submit drafts for DFO approvals before production
6. Deliverables:
   • a summary report which outlines:
     • # of restoration sites
     • # of participants involved in restoration work
     • # of plants, trees, shrubs planted
     • # of cattle fences installed
     • # of ATV crossings installed
     • length of area restored/improved
     • before and after pictures of the restoration activities
     • locations with coordinates of sites and rivers surveyed

4.2 Surveys, inventories and monitoring

If you intend to use surveys, inventories or monitoring as part of the project activities, please explain how the survey, inventory or monitoring results would be used to improve the conservation of the target species and/or its habitat over the next two years (max 25 lines).

4.3 Project evaluation

Please describe the specific methods (qualitative or quantitative) you would use to evaluate the outcome of the project's activities, such as the improvement the project has made to the recovery of the target specifies at risk (e.g., immediate (6–24 months) and long-term outcomes [2–5 years]) (max 25 lines).

4.4 Project legacy

The HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk provides time-limited support to Canadians who wish to implement actions for the conservation and recovery of aquatic species at risk with the goal of lasting, and sustainable outcomes. This question seeks an indication as to the potential sustainability of actions for which the Program will be providing funds (max 35 lines).

4.5 Permitting

It is the responsibility of the proponent to acquire the necessary permits and/or authorizations for the proposed project. You must verify with the various levels of government whether you require permits/authorizations prior to undertaking the project. Please contact the HSP Regional Coordinator if you need assistance assessing the need for permits/authorizations.

Please indicate if the project requires any permit(s) and/or authorization(s).

For any proposed activity that requires a permit or authorization, please identify the activity, and list the corresponding authorization type, expected date of issue, and issuing authority (e.g., Fisheries Act, SARA, provincial, municipal) in the table provided.

5 Project budget and expenditures

Use these tables to develop a detailed budget for the project and specify the amount requested from the HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk. Provide detailed descriptions of each expenditure, including how the value was calculated (e.g., assistant coordinator, $35/hr. x 10hrs = $350).

Eligible Expense Categories:

1. salaries and wages and employer mandatory benefits
2. professional and technical services
3. training
4. training materials
5. construction and related costs
6. purchase or rental of machinery and equipment
7. maintenance and repairs
8. purchase or rental of vehicles
9. materials and supplies
10. printing and publishing
11. telecommunications, communications/network, data communications, image/video communications services
12. postage, parcel post, courier services
13. rental of facilities
14. travel, including accommodation, meals, and allowances, based on National Joint Council’s NJC Directive on Travel
15. insurance expenses related to activities under the Agreement
16. conferences, workshops and meetings
17. monitoring and reporting
18. hospitality and related expenses in compliance with the Directive on Travel, Hospitality and Event Expenditures
19. Further distribution of funding to an agency or a third party
20. Ceremonial costs including services, where the funding recipient is an Indigenous group that: because the group possesses Indigenous knowledge relevant to the initiative; or where the recipient provides services to support consultation on impacts on potential or established rights or title
21. Honoraria for Elders, or Indigenous knowledge holders in recognition of providing Indigenous knowledge or community knowledge relevant to the initiative
22. Any GST/HST that is not reimbursable by Canada Revenue Agency and any PST not reimbursable by the provinces
23. administrative overhead up to 10% of the overall program funding amount.

5.1 HSP Project Expenditures for 2025 to 2026

The following is an example of how to fill in the chart. Please note that for the proposal the expense description requires only a certain degree of precession, understanding at this juncture this information is only preliminary. Should your project be selected, further detail under the expense description may be required following discussions with the HSP regional officers.

6 Project support

Evidence of other sources of funding must be provided. For non-Indigenous groups and organizations, a minimum of 1:1 matching contributions (from non-federal sources) is required ($1 cash or in-kind non-federal match for $1 federal^{Footnote 3} support). For Indigenous groups and organizations, a minimum of twenty percent (20%) matching contributions (from non-federal sources) is required ($0.20 cash or in-kind non-federal match for $1.00 federal support).

For multi-year projects, the program's requirement for matching funds is based on the ability of the applicant to obtain those funds over the entire length of the project and approval is not contingent on securement of all matching funds up front. Note that each year's match will be scrutinized. If the match is insufficient by the last year of the project, the final year's funding may be reduced accordingly. Application for funding from other federal sources (e.g., EcoAction, Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR), Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund) should be identified even if funding decisions are pending.

Instructions for corresponding columns in table 6.1

Organization Name, Description of activities to be funded and Valuation of Support:

List organizations or individuals that would be making contributions to this project including all federal, provincial, municipal, private sector, foundation, non-government, and Indigenous organizations; (for all federal contributions, please specify the program and/or source of funding [cash and/or in-kind]). Federal contributions must be listed; including HSP funds;

$ Value of Federal cash and in-kind support:

Proof of contribution could be requested at a later stage. As a rule, for non-Indigenous groups and organizations, the project must receive at least 50% support from other funding that is not federal funding, and the total Canadian government assistance (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) cannot exceed 100% (i.e. recipients may not request funding for the same expenses from various levels of government). For Indigenous groups and organizations, the project must receive at least 20% support from other funding that is not federal funding, and the total Canadian government assistance (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) cannot exceed 100% (i.e. recipients may not request funding for the same expenses from various levels of government). All proposed contributions must be listed in the proposal;

$ Value of other governmental cash and in-kind support:

Enter the total of the contributions (cash and in-kind) for each line;

$ Value other cash and in-kind support:

Enter the total of the contributions (cash and in-kind) for each line;

Total $ support:

Enter the total support for each line;

Confirmed (yes/no):

Indicate whether or not the support (e.g., applications to various foundations) has been confirmed at the time of application.

6.1 Sources of Support for 2025 to 2026

The following is an example of how to fill the table.

7. Measuring program performance

Performance will be measured for each year of the project. Please provide an estimate of what is planned to be accomplished during each year and includes benefits beyond those species at risk (related to jobs and partnerships). Please fill in the “Planned” columns marked with [XXXX].