Alberta invests $5 million in wetland restoration projects

The provincial government has announced a $5 million investment through the Wetland Replacement Program. This funding will support the construction or restoration of seven wetland projects across more than 165 hectares.

Wetlands play a crucial role in Alberta’s ecosystem by acting as natural “sponges” that store and gradually release water, mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events. They also filter runoff, recharge groundwater, and provide habitats for a diverse range of plants and animals.

Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, emphasizes the importance of wetlands, saying, “wetlands not only help protect Alberta from the devastating impacts of droughts and floods, but also support healthy, thriving ecosystems all across this province.”

Since its inception in 2020, the Wetland Replacement Program has been a model for Canada, facilitating the restoration of wetlands across Alberta. The program allows project proponents to pay a wetland replacement fee, which funds restoration efforts. To date, the government has invested over $21 million in the program restoring or constructing approximately 609 hectares of wetlands.

Thorsten Hebben, manager of Alberta operations for Ducks Unlimited Canada, says through the Wetland Replacement Program, the Alberta government has demonstrated a significant commitment to responsible environmental management.

“Ducks Unlimited Canada is proud to partner with the Alberta government to restore historically drained wetlands, contributing to water security, a healthy environment, and a thriving economy in our province.”

The new projects span the province, from the M.D. of Opportunity in the north to Starland County in the south. These initiatives include restoring previously drained wetlands for farming, testing new methods for peatland restoration, and constructing a new marsh wetland in a former reservoir area.

The Wetland Replacement Program prioritizes areas with significant wetland loss since 2015 and those with historically high rates for loss. The follow projects will receive funding in fiscal 2024-25:

• City of Red Deer: $220,085 to restore 1.11 hectares of wetlands
• Lac La Biche County: $189,200 to restore 1.4 hectares of wetlands in Plamondon
• Sturgeon County: $513,150 to restore 3.75 hectares of wetlands northwest in Morinville
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT): $697,818 to restore 17.8 hectares of wetlands in the M.D. of Opportunity No. 17
• Ducks Unlimited Canada: $663,912 to restore 16.79 hectares of wetlands in the County of Camrose
• Ducks Unlimited Canada: $1,523,937 to restore 73.05 hectares of wetlands in Starland County
• Ducks Unlimited Canada: $1,387,390 to restore 54.16 hectares of wetlands in Ponoka County