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Canada just got a lot more Bird Friendly: 7 municipalities recognized as great places to live - for birds!

Nature Canada Certifies Four Cities and Three Towns under its Bird Friendly City program. Total is now 24.

Unceded Algonquin Territory - Ottawa, ON, November 8, 2023 – Nature Canada is thrilled to announce the country's newest Certified Bird Friendly Cities and Towns for the 2023 Fall season!

The City of Richmond Hill, ON has become the 21st municipality in Canada to earn this designation. At the same time, the Towns of Devon, AB, Selwyn, ON, and Hudson, QC were announced as the newest additions to Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly Town
Certification standard.

The first three cities Certified as Bird Friendly in 2021, Toronto, ON, Calgary, AB and London, ON have successfully renewed their Certification status from their original applications. Toronto moved into the Entry-Level (50% of points awarded), Calgary to the
Intermediate-Level (65% of points awarded), and London to High-Level (over 80% of points awarded). This brings the total number of Bird Friendly municipalities in Canada to 24.

All Certified cities and towns have worked in collaboration with Nature Canada, local community organizations and amazing volunteers to make their communities a safe haven for wild birds.

The Bird Friendly City and Town Certification Program has been developed by Nature Canada and our partners to encourage Canadian municipalities of all sizes to become safer places for our feathered friends. The ultimate goal of the program is to reverse the decline in bird populations across Canada and help make our towns and cities places for biodiversity to thrive.

Birds play an essential role in maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems in our communities and across the globe. However - their populations are still declining at alarming rates due to human activities such as climate change, pesticide use and habitat loss. As urban boundary expansion continues, municipalities must act quickly to ensure that North America’s bird populations are protected and supported for years to come. Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City and Town Certification Program encourages
community leaders and municipal decision-makers to take action together to:

  • Reduce the number of human-related threats to birds such as free-roaming cats, pesticide-use and bird-friendly building design legislation
  • Promote stewardship and nature-based climate solutions to maintain healthy and resilient natural habitats for birds
  • Engage and educate citizens about the benefits of bird friendly practices through community event, participatory science and World Migratory Bird Day celebrations
  • In each municipality seeking to become Bird Friendly certified, volunteer Bird Teams are created and residents are actively engaged in protecting, monitoring and celebrating their local bird populations.

“The communities that make up the Township of Selwyn are proud to receive a Bird Friendly City Certificate through Nature Canada’s certification program. The Township has increasingly made strong efforts towards becoming more sustainable by introducing new programs to our residents and taking on various corporate projects that will make positive leeway towards fighting climate change. From the introduction of countertop composters to installation of EV chargers and becoming a certified Bee Friendly Community, this Bird Friendly City Certification is another step towards becoming a greener community. As a Township, we would like to express our appreciation to Nature Canada for supporting communities like ours to become a more welcoming, safe haven for birds.”

- Sherry Senis, Mayor of Selwyn Township

For more information on Selwyn Township's local Bird Team, please visit the Bird Friendly Selwyn website.

Nature Canada is pleased to acknowledge the support of Environment and Climate Change Canada for the Bird Friendly City program.

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