Canada Announces $10 Million Grant to Support Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation
On November 9, 2026, Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson announced a $10 million grant to the Foundation for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon to enhance the Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund, supporting habitat restoration and conservation efforts across Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
On November 9, 2026, Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson announced a $10 million grant to the Foundation for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon (FCAS). The funding is intended to enhance the Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund, which supports conservation efforts in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
The Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund was originally established in 2007 through a $30 million investment from the Government of Canada. Since its creation, projects supported by the fund have helped restore 7.5 million metres of habitat and opened up access to almost 200 square kilometres of habitat.
The new $10 million grant will support watershed-level initiatives, including habitat restoration, fish passage improvements, population monitoring, climate adaptation, and applied scientific research. These efforts aim to increase financial support for community-led conservation initiatives, strengthen partnerships with governments, Indigenous organizations, and local groups, and advance collaborative watershed-level planning and management.
Charline McCoy serves as the Executive Director of the Foundation for the Conservation of Atlantic Salmon.
This announcement follows a broader federal commitment to wild salmon recovery. In March 2026, the Government of Canada announced $81.7 million under "A Force of Nature: Canada’s Strategy to Protect Nature" to rebuild wild salmon populations. The latest grant builds on that strategy, directing additional resources toward climate-resilient salmon populations and long-term habitat protection.