WCS Canada is independently registered and managed, while retaining a strong collaborative working relationship with sister WCS Global programs in more than 60 countries.

Our Vision 

WCS Canada envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. 

Our Mission 

WCS Canada saves wildlife and wild places in Canada through science, conservation action, and by inspiring people to value nature. 

Our Approach

WCS Canada uses a unique blend of on-the-ground scientific research and policy action to help protect wildlife across Canada. Our scientists are leaders in developing solutions to address conservation challenges, from the impacts of climate change on wildlife and wild areas to the cumulative effects of resource development and other human impacts. We work in some of the wildest corners of Canada to build a scientific case for the conservation of globally important wild areas, like the Ontario Northern Boreal, the Northern Boreal Mountains of BC and Yukon, and the Arctic Ocean, where there is still a big opportunity to protect intact ecosystems. We combine insights gained from our “muddy boots” fieldwork with a big-picture conservation vision to speak up for species such as caribou, wolverine, bats, bison, freshwater fish and marine mammals. This unique approach has led to many conservation successes, including a seven-fold expansion of Nahanni National Park, protection of Yukon’s pristine Peel Watershed and the creation of the Castle Wildland Park in southern Alberta.  WCS Canada's research and conservation efforts in Ontario, meanwhile, have inspired the provincial government to commit to large-scale protection in the northern boreal, revising endangered species legislation, as well as the federal government’s commitment to reform the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.  To learn more about how we save wildlife and wild places for future generations, click on the brochure below.

Our Values 

• Respect: We treat co-workers, partners, and communities in the places where we work with respect and dignity and show regard for the views and opinions of others. 
• Accountability and Transparency: We focus on results and measurable outcomes, take responsibility for our decisions and actions, and are honest about our successes and failures. 
• Innovation: We evaluate established ideas and practices, learn from experience, and introduce new methods and concepts. 
• Diversity and inclusion: We value staff and community partners from all backgrounds and cultures with different skills, abilities, and perspectives; we ensure that everyone has an opportunity to fully contribute to our mission. 
• Collaboration: We embrace teamwork and encourage people, organizations, and jurisdictions to work together to develop solutions to the world’s conservation challenges. 
• Integrity: We act in a manner consistent with our core values and charitable mission and uphold the highest standards of honesty and ethical behaviour.

We at WCS Canada recognize that there are significant barriers to Black, Indigenous and People of Colour in all areas of scientific research and conservation practice. The history of conservation in Canada and many parts of the world has witnessed the direct impacts that racism and discrimination have had on communities as they are continually racialized, having their rights denied, and values marginalized; many still face overt and systemic racism and violence. Addressing threats to the environment that we are currently facing together requires the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives, and a commitment to strengthening our response in order to develop ecologically-sound and socially-just outcomes.

We at WCS Canada will not accept or ignore any form of racism or discrimination -- in our organization, the environment and the societies where we live and work. We are actively working to bring more diversity into our programs, but fully recognize we have a lot more to do, including within the broader science and conservation sphere in which we operate. We remain committed to our core values of Diversity and Inclusion, Respect, Collaboration and Integrity and expanding our actions on anti-racism. We are working to increase all forms of representation in our work with communities, in conservation and in our board and leadership. We are reinforcing our commitment to the hiring, advancement, retention and morale of our talented staff and the career development of the next generation of conservation scientists. There is still much to be done to increase diversity in conservation science and in our own hiring and programming. We thank those who are drawing attention to the urgency of making this work happen. We are listening, we are learning, and commit to continuing to act.