ALUS -- a national charitable organization that provides expertise, resources, and direct financial support to farmers -- is making significant strides in Quebec as it officially launches two new communities in Chaudière-Appalaches and the Laurentians, in partnership with the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) of Quebec.
Having existed nationally in Canada for almost two decades, the ALUS program established itself in Quebec in 2016 through a partnership with UPA of Montérégie. In 2021, the Outaouais region became the second beneficiary of the ALUS program.
Now, expanding into Chaudière-Appalaches and the Laurentians, ALUS aims to multiply its participants and nature-based solutions across Quebec's agricultural landscape.
Beyond fostering agricultural leadership and connecting local communities interested in agri-environmental practices, the ALUS program distinguishes itself as the only program in Quebec to offer annual monetary incentives to farmers for implementing biodiversity-enhancing projects and generating ecosystem services on their land. ALUS's on-the-ground support addresses region-specific agricultural and environmental challenges.
“The St. Lawrence Lowlands are a unique and ecologically rich ecosystem. We are proud to support actions on farmland that are essential to the survival and recovery of species at risk. The Government of Canada has adopted an approach to species at risk that includes working with partners and stakeholders to implement mitigation measures and identify opportunities to improve the conservation of species at risk, and will continue to work with its many partners to achieve this goal,” said the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
The recent launch of ALUS Chaudière-Appalaches took place at the Paularo Farm in Saint-Vallier, gathering around fifty attendees, including partners, agricultural producers, and media. The event featured presentations by researchers and specialists, a tour of the farm's riparian buffer—a notable ALUS project—and facilitated discussions among stakeholders.
Building on ALUS's success in the Outaouais region, with the support of Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Syndicats locaux des Laurentides, the Fédération de l’UPA Outaouais-Laurentides and ALUS have decided to extend the program to the Laurentians, Laval, and Montreal.
For the official launch of ALUS Laurentides, the Alary family hosted federal elected officials, agri-environmental partners, and producers at their farm, Les Fromagiers de la table ronde, in Sainte-Sophie. Attendees enjoyed insights from various speakers, toured the ecological corridor project, and sampled local products.
ALUS's expansion in Quebec underscores the province's agricultural community's commitment to combat biodiversity loss and climate change. Together, they are working to implement nature-based climate solutions on agricultural land, delivering essential ecosystem services for the benefit of society and future generations. This collaborative effort contributes to building collective resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
About ALUS
ALUS is a national charitable organization that provides expertise, resources, and direct financial support to 38 communities across six provinces where more than 1,600 farmers and ranchers establish and steward nature-based solutions on their land.Through these solutions, they deliver ecosystem services to help sustain agriculture and fight climate change and biodiversity loss for the benefit of communities and future generations. Projects such as enhanced wetlands, windbreaks, riparian buffer zones, wildlife habitats, adaptive agricultural practices and other impactful environmental solutions produce cleaner air, cleaner water, greater biodiversity, carbon sequestration, erosion control, flood and drought mitigation, pollinator and wildlife habitat, and other ecological services.