Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Wetland mitigation and compensation: Canadian experience

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Wetlands Ecology and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Since Canada’s accession to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1981, the nation’s commitment to wetland conservation and management has increased significantly. This includes the adoption of one of the World’s first national wetland conservation policies by the Government of Canada, and the adoption of complementary policy and legislative initiatives by most of the 13 provincial and territorial jurisdictions. Numerous habitat ‘no net loss’ and environmental assessment policies, regulations and guidelines for incorporating mitigation processes into development decisions affecting wetland resources are used throughout Canada. The governments of Canada and six provinces have so far adopted wetland mitigation measures. These are in addition to comprehensive wetland fish and wildlife habitat initiatives, such as the species and habitat joint ventures delivered in Canada through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan by all jurisdictions and numerous non-government partners. This paper examines the current policies, regulations and programs, as well as past implementation experience with wetland mitigation and compensation in Canada.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Abraham, K, Anderson M, Bishop R, Clark R, Colpitts L, Eadie J, Petrie M, Reed E, Rohwer F, Rojo A, Tome, M (2007) North American Waterfowl Management Plan Continental Progress Assessment Final Report, Washington DC, 98 pp

  • Alberta Environment (2005) Provincial Wetland Restoration/Compensation Guide, Edmonton, Revised 2007

  • Austen E (2005) A compensation process for wetland loss in Atlantic Canada. MES thesis dissertation. Dalhousie University, Halifax

  • Austen E, Hanson AR (2007) Coordinating wetland compensation: an analysis of wetland policy in Atlantic Canada. Can Water Res J 32:163–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austen E, Hanson AR (unpubl MS) Identifying wetland compensation principles and mechanisms for Atlantic Canada using a Delphi Approach

  • Bruce D (2006) Discussion document on stakeholder consultations in Saskatchewan: results and recommendations. In: Thoroughgood P (compiler) Wetlands in agricultural landscapes. Discussion Paper developed through a Stakeholder consultation process. Ducks Unlimited Canada, Regina

  • CEAA (2003) Canadian Environmental Assessment Act: an overview. See: http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca

  • Cox KW, Grose A (eds) (1998) Wetland mitigation and compensation: proceedings of a national workshop. Report 98-1. North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), Ottawa

  • Cox KW, Grose A (eds) (2000) Wetland mitigation in Canada: a framework for application. Sustaining wetlands issues paper 2000-1. North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Environmental Law Institute (ELI) (2002) Banks and fees: the status of off-site wetland mitigation in the United States. Washington

  • Environmental Law Institute (ELI) (2004) Measuring mitigation: a review of the science for compensatory mitigation performance standards. Washington

  • Farnese PL, Belcher KW (2006) Wetlands in agricultural landscapes: a legal and policy context. Law Sci Policy 3:33–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada (1986) Policy for the management of fish habitat. Ottawa

  • Government of Canada (1991) The federal policy on wetland conservation. Environment Canada, Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Grose A, Bailey RO, Cox KW (2000) Wetland mitigation in Canada. In: Cox KW, Grose A (eds) Wetland mitigation in Canada: a framework for application. Sustaining wetlands issues Paper 2000-1. North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), Ottawa, pp 1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson AR (ed) (2005) Federal Wetland Stewardship 2005: proceedings from Atlantic Region Workshop, 1 March 2005, Halifax

  • Hill M (2005) Introduction and objectives. In: Workshop on wetland policy and mitigation, new opportunities for wetland conservation in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. See: http://www.cwra.org/About_CWRA/CWRA_Branches/Saskatchewan/Wetland_Mitigation_Workshop/Hill.pdf. Cited 11 March 2007

  • Hill M (pers. comm.) Ducks Unlimited Canada. Saskatoon

  • Kingsley L (pers. comm.) Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Gatineau

  • Kirkby J (pers. comm.) Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Delta

  • Kwasniak A (2002) Alberta’s wetlands: a law and policy guide. Environmental Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch-Stewart P, Rubec CDA, Cox KW, Patterson JH (1993) A coming of age: policy for wetland conservation in Canada. Report 93-1. North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), Ottawa

  • Lynch-Stewart P, Niece P, Rubec C, Kessel-Taylor I (1996) The federal policy on wetland conservation: implementation guide for federal land managers. Environment Canada, Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch-Stewart P, Kessel-Taylor I, Rubec C (1999) Wetlands and government: policy and legislation for wetland conservation in Canada. Sustaining wetlands issues paper 1999-1. North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney M, Hanson AR (2005) An object-orientated wetland classification for Labrador Proceedings of the 26th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing: 471–480

  • Milko R (1998) Wetlands environmental assessment guideline. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Pett B (pers. comm.) Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works. Halifax

  • Rubec C (ed) (1994) Wetland policy implementation in Canada: proceedings of a national workshop. Report 94-1. North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), Ottawa

  • Rubec C (2002) Policy for wetland conservation. In: Lal R (ed) The encyclopaedia of soil science. Marcel Dekker. New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubec C, Pritchard D, Mafabi P, Mahy M, Nathai-Gyan N, Phillips W, Lynch-Stewart P, Chew R, Cintron G, Larson J, Ramakrishna S (2006) Guidelines for developing and implementing national wetland policies. Ramsar handbooks for the wise use of wetlands, 3rd edn, vol 2. Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudland I (2005) Wetland policy and mitigation in Alberta. In: Workshop on wetland policy and mitigation: new opportunities for wetland conservation in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. See: http://www.cwra.org/About_CWRA/CWRA_Branches/Saskatchewan/Wetland_Mitigation_Workshop/Rudland.pdf. Cited 11 March 2007

  • Scatollon F (2005) Wetlands and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. In: Hanson AR (ed) Federal Wetland Stewardship 2005: proceedings from Atlantic Region Workshop, 1 March 2005, Halifax

  • Schulte-Hostedde B, Walters D, Powell C, Shrubsole D (2007). Wetland management: an analysis of past practice and recent policy changes in Ontario. J Environ Manage 8:83–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schroeder R (2005) Wetland policy and mitigation in Manitoba. In: Wetland policy and mitigation: new opportunities for wetland conservation, Saskatoon. See: http://www.cwra.org/About_CWRA/CWRA_Branches/Saskatchewan/Wetland_Mitigation_Workshop/Roger.pdf. Cited 11 March 2007

  • Short A (2005). Addressing federal policy on wetland conservation considerations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. In: Hanson AR (ed) (2005) Federal Wetland Stewardship 2005: proceedings from Atlantic region workshop, 1 March 2005, Halifax

  • Stellar S (2007). Potash mine expansion Picadilly site – PCS Sussex Environmental Impact Assessment. EAS#2007-264 File No. 4186–82/4. Environment Canada, Dartmouth

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson L (pers. comm.) New Brunswick Department of Environment. Fredericton

  • Thompson J (2005) An introduction to wetland mitigation in Canada. In: Wetland policy and mitigation: new opportunities for wetland conservation, Saskatoon. See: http://www.cwra.org/About_CWRA/CWRA_Branches/Saskatchewan/Wetland_Mitigation_Workshop/T_Thompson.pdf. Cited 11 March 2007

Download references

Acknowledgements

Comments on draft sections of this paper by Michael Dunn, Bryan Graham, Louise Kingsley, Jan Kirkby and Bob McLean (all of Environment Canada); Michael Hill (Ducks Unlimited Canada); Ian Rudland (Alberta Environment); Lee Swanson (New Brunswick Environment); Randy Milton (Nova Scotia Natural Resources); Randy Diblee (Prince Edward Island Environment); and Gerry Yetman (Newfoundland and Labrador Environment and Conservation) were most helpful.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd, Gatineau, QC, Canada, K1A 0H3

    Clayton D. A. Rubec

  2. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, P.O. Box 6227, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 4N1

    Alan R. Hanson

Authors
  1. Clayton D. A. Rubec
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alan R. Hanson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clayton D. A. Rubec.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rubec, C.D.A., Hanson, A.R. Wetland mitigation and compensation: Canadian experience. Wetlands Ecol Manage 17, 3–14 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-008-9078-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-008-9078-6

Keywords