Who we are
Founded in Montreal in 1917, Bird Protection Quebec is the operating name of the Province of Quebec Society for the Protection of Birds Inc. We are a member-run charitable organization (registration number: 11925 2161 RR0001) whose various initiatives center around bird conservation. In addition to being a member of QuébecOiseaux, we collaborate with other major national and provincial organisations to preserve and protect wildlife habitat.
Our mission
To protect birds and bird habitat while fostering an appreciation of them through conservation, observation, research, and education.
Our vision
A world in which people appreciate the intrinsic benefits of birds and act to protect our planet and its wildlife.
What we do
Own/co-own and manage bird sanctuaries across the province encompassing over a thousand of acres
Participate in strictly non-partisan advocacy for the environment and conservation
Award $75,000 to $150,000 in annual grants to support ornithological research in Quebec
Organize weekly guided field trips to bird-rich sites in the Greater Montreal area and other regions of Quebec
Maintain a repository of valuable information and data on birds and bird habitats
Everyone should be able to enjoy birds and nature
At BPQ, we are striving to be a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization and condemn discrimination in all forms. Everyone should be able to enjoy birds and nature and feel safe and included doing so. BPQ is committed to working towards this goal, and to making meaningful improvements throughout our organization. Repairing the inequities within BPQ, as well as within our broader communities, will take time to do well, and we commit to these efforts over the long term. As such, we have formed an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Working Group that has been tasked with determining both short-term and long-term actions that we can follow to support and promote the inclusion and well-being of birders from groups historically denied. We know that this work is continuous and that there is still a lot to do; share your thoughts on this process with us or inquire about joining the working group at EDI@birdprotectionquebec.org
Integrity protection policy
As an organisation associated with QuébecOiseaux (QO), Bird Protection Quebec (BPQ) adheres to QO’s policy on the protection of physical and psychological integrity and its code of conduct. We are committed to providing our members with a safe, fair, and respectful environment.
Land Acknowledgement
BPQ stands with the Society of Canadian Ornithologists in acknowledging that Canada was built on the traditional and contemporary homelands of Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), lands that remain unceded and were often taken by force or deceit. While BPQ stewards bird sanctuaries throughout Quebec, many of our activities take place primarily in and around the ancestral and unceded lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nation. Montreal – called Tiohtià:ke in Kanien’kéha and Mooniyang in Anishinaabemowin – has been and continues to be a place of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous Peoples, including the Anishinaabeg nation and Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
BPQ is committed to actively engaging in training and education related to reconciliation and decolonization. We aim to listen, learn, establish meaningful relationships with Indigenous birders and communities around us, engage in courageous conversations, and take actions that advance reconciliation through ornithology, specifically in terms of supporting Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship. This work is long-term and multi-generational in nature, and we recognize that it will be a continuous and intentional process to build strong relationships with the Indigenous birders and communities around us and to connect with the land. Everyone is encouraged to learn more about the Indigenous lands they live and birdwatch on, and here is a great resource to get started: https://native-land.ca/.
