Photo Credit: Donna Martin

About

Financial support for projects that benefit wildlife & wildlife conservation on PEI.

About the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund

The Prince Edward Island Wildlife Conservation Fund provides financial support to groups working on projects that benefit wildlife and wildlife conservation in PEI.  

The sources for funds are:

Annual conservation fees incorporated into PEI licenses for hunting, angling and trapping.

Conservation Plates purchased for motor vehicles in PEI.

The Province’s role is to collect the fees from Islanders that support the fund, transfer those fees 100% annually to the fund, and hold one of the seats on both the WCF Board of Directors and Evaluation Committees.

The goals of the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund Board of Directors, according to their terms of reference are:

To ensure that monies are distributed to achieve long-term benefits to wildlife populations and associated habitats.
To encourage and/or promote sustainable use of wildlife resources on Prince Edward Island.
To ensure that the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund is accountable to those who contribute to it.

2022-2023 Audited Financial Statements

History of the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund

In 1998, the Province of Prince Edward Island created the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund out of revenues generated from a conservation fee charged for hunting, trapping and angling licenses. The original purpose for the fund was to support a hatchery that could restock native fishes into Island rivers that had been impacted by fish kills. The fund was administered internally through the Forest, Fish and Wildlife Division for several years.

In the early 2000’s there was a call from the public to have the fund made arms-length from government and open to an application-based awards process. Hence, in 2006, a committee of volunteers was struck to consider applications and award funding based on project merit. A fee-for-service contract was established to cover the administration of the fund through a third party. Along with the drafting of terms of reference for the committee, this has allowed the fund to function with a certain level of autonomy.

The PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund Evaluation Committee

The Wildlife Conservation Fund Evaluation Committee, chaired by the Vice President, is composed of representatives from a number of environmental, government and educational organizations. These volunteers review, score and make recommendations on each application, that are in turn presented to the Board of Directors.

The PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund Board of Directors

The Wildlife Conservation Fund Board of Directors, chaired by the President, oversees the PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund, and it’s Administrator, and is composed of 8 volunteer representatives from a number of environmental, government and educational organizations.

The Board of Directors is made up of the following individuals:

President – Dave McRuer
Vice President – Tom Duffy
Secretary – Santina Beaton-MacEachern
Treasurer – Eddie MacDonald
Eastern Director – Frances Braceland
Central Director – Rosemary Curley
Western Director – Karen Rank
PEI Government Representative – Julie-Lynn Zahavich

The WCF Administrator: Community Foundation of PEI