What Habitat does

Habitat is a Montreal-based environmental consulting firm founded in 2017 (originally as Eco2urb, rebranded in 2019) by three university professors — Jérôme Dupras (UQO, now CEO), Christian Messier (UQAM/UQO) and Andrew Gonzalez (McGill, IPBES co-chair) — with co-founder Dupras holding a Canada Research Chair in Ecological Economics. The firm delivers science-based biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate-adaptation advisory work to Quebec municipalities and Regional County Municipalities, private companies, public institutions and NGOs, and — since 2024 — financial institutions. Underlying capabilities center on geospatial analysis, ecological modeling, ecosystem services quantification, remote-sensing-based urban forest inventories, and ecological connectivity assessment, supported by an applied research pipeline through the CRABE research center co-founded with UQO in June 2024. NatureInvest, launched in October 2024, extends the methodology into a software product that scores both biodiversity impact and corporate commitment/additionality for investment decisions; it has been deployed in preview by the Fonds de solidarité FTQ (Quebec) and Sienna Investment Managers (Europe). The firm also conducts international biodiversity monitoring work, notably a 2024 partnership with Guinea's Ministry of Environment, GEO BON, and UPA Développement International to deploy the 'BON in a Box' platform under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Habitat generates revenue primarily through project-based professional services contracts — biodiversity diagnostics, conservation and climate adaptation plans, urban forest strategies, OGAT/ATCL strategic support, and ecosystem services valuations — delivered on multi-year engagements quoted individually by scope. The go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field sales, complemented by thought leadership at events such as the Montreal Climate Summit, COP15/COP16, and PR/media channels led by a dedicated communications officer. Distribution leverages direct sales, strategic co-development partnerships (notably Coop Carbone for RCM climate plans), and government-funded expert directories such as Écoleader. Additional capital has come from a CAD $400,000 Quebec government grant for 30x30 conservation work and a CAD $3.5 million strategic equity investment from the Fonds de solidarité FTQ in March 2024 — the Fund's first direct biodiversity investment — which the company is deploying toward headcount expansion, NatureInvest commercialization, and international project scale-up.

The underlying customer base is diverse and project-distributed rather than concentrated: Quebec municipalities (City of Montreal, City of Hudson, City of Nicolet), regional county municipalities (Nicolet-Yamaska, L'Assomption, Lac-Saint-Jean-Est), conservation NGOs (Abrinord, Nature-Action Québec, WWF-Canada), academic and international bodies (UQO, GEO BON, UPA DI), financial institutions (Fonds FTQ, Sienna IM), and individual enterprises (Construction Longer). The breadth supports modest revenue predictability through referenceable track record and Écoleader referrals but introduces concentration risk in any single fiscal period if a major multi-year municipal engagement is delayed.

Name

Habitat

Legal name

Habitat

Website

https://en.habitat-nature.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Habitat is a Montreal-based environmental consulting firm delivering science-based biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate adaptation advisory services — including its NatureInvest tool for financial institutions — to municipalities, regional governments, businesses, NGOs, and financial institutions across Quebec and selectively internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Terrestrial Ecology & Habitat Surveys (EUAHAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ecological/Habitat & Land-Use Change Modeling (Biodiversity, Conservation Planning) (EUAHAKAI), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Biodiversity consulting services
• Ecosystem services assessment
• Nature-based solutions
• Climate adaptation planning
• Land-use planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for biodiversity assessment, ecosystem services valuation, climate adaptation planning, and land-use strategy. Services are delivered through project-based engagements with municipalities, RCMs, businesses, and public institutions. Revenue is generated through service fees for analysis, recommendations, and implementation support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Habitat is an environmental consulting firm that delivers nature-based land-use solutions, biodiversity assessments, ecosystem services valuations, and climate adaptation plans to municipalities, regional county municipalities (RCMs), businesses, financial institutions, and public organizations. It also offers the proprietary NatureInvest decision-support tool to help financial institutions assess biodiversity impact of investments.

Product overview

Habitat is an environmental consulting firm offering a portfolio of services and tools for biodiversity measurement, ecosystem services assessment, and sustainable land management planning. Its core product is NatureInvest, an investment decision support tool launched in October 2024 for financial institutions to assess biodiversity impact of investments. The company provides modular service offerings for businesses (biodiversity diagnosis, recommendations, implementation, and disclosure), municipalities and RCMs (climate plans, conservation planning, urban forest management), and financial institutions. Services include ecological portraits, climate risk assessment, adaptation strategies, OGAT strategic support, and NSCSF funding assistance. The company also co-founded the Centre de recherche appliquée sur la biodiversité et les écosystèmes (CRABE) in 2024 as an applied research center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NatureInvest An investment decision support tool for financial institutions and investment funds that assesses the potential biodiversity impact of investments in projects or companies on a rigorous scientific basis, including multidimensional analysis of potential biodiversity impact and the degree of commitment to biodiversity of the evaluated company.
• Corporate Biodiversity Services Services for businesses including biodiversity diagnosis (dependence on natural resources, impacts on ecosystems, risks, and opportunities), recommendations (biodiversity strategy development, action plans, measurable indicators), implementation (training, biodiversity monitoring systems, predictive models), and disclosure (synthesis for communications and extra-financial reporting aligned with international frameworks).
• Climate Plan Development Comprehensive support for Regional County Municipalities (RCMs) in developing climate plans under Quebec's ATCL program, including climate risk assessment, GHG emissions inventory, vulnerability diagnosis, mapping of risk areas, and identification of adaptation and mitigation measures.
• Conservation Planning Development of conservation plans for natural environments including ecological portraits, review of existing regulations, implementation of conservation strategies addressing biodiversity hotspots and ecological corridors, and recommendations for municipalities and communities.
• Urban Forest Management Remote sensing tree inventories and selection of climate-adapted tree species for cities, enabling better urban forest management, adaptation to climate change, and enhancement of urban green spaces.
• NSCSF Funding Support Support services for organizations seeking funding from the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF), including identification of carbon-rich areas, conservation plans, restoration recommendations, and improved land management practices.
• OGAT Strategic Support Three-pronged strategic support for Quebec's MRCs to deploy the new Orientations gouvernementales en aménagement du territoire (OGATs), covering adaptation to global change, conservation of natural environments, and reconciling land uses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 297 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent stored in Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Reserve natural environments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, significant and notable.

• Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Republic of GuineaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2024Collaboration agreement to support Guinea in implementing biodiversity monitoring indicators aligned with Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Includes development of 'BON in a Box' platform and decision-making tools for protected areas.
• GEO BONflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2024Partnership to implement 'BON in a Box' open platform for standardized biodiversity monitoring and reporting in Guinea and potentially other CMB-KM signatory countries.
• UPA Développement InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2024Continued collaboration from Femmes Pro-Forêts project to build biodiversity monitoring system for Guinea's Ministry of Environment, contributing data expertise and stakeholder coordination.
• Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2024Co-founding of Centre de recherche appliquée sur la biodiversité et les écosystèmes (CRABE), a new applied research center focused on protection, restoration, sustainable resource use, and territorial development. Jérôme Dupras leads the steering committee.
• Coop CarbonecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2024Strategic partnership to support RCMs in preparing climate plans. Combines Coop Carbone's GHG emissions expertise with Habitat's ecosystem management and biodiversity capabilities to deliver integrated climate adaptation and mitigation services.
• Canada Research Chair in Ecological EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration with the research chair led by Jérôme Dupras, contributing scientific expertise and academic credibility to Habitat's ecosystem services assessments and valuations.
• David Suzuki FoundationsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on tree planting strategy for City of Montreal's 500,000 new trees initiative, developing socio-economic and ecological indicators for equitable climate adaptation.
• Stanford UniversitysignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Natural Capital Project to model economic and environmental impacts of Global Biodiversity Framework targets for Quebec and California conservation scenarios.
• University of MinnesotasignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Natural Capital Project to model conservation scenarios and develop interactive platform for exploring ecological impacts and economic outcomes.
• WWF-CanadasignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on CMM ecological restoration study identifying 11,000+ potential restoration sites and 1,245 priority sites based on biodiversity, climate adaptation, and ecological connectivity criteria.
• Construction LongernotableImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCase study collaboration evaluating biodiversity integration for real estate project in Sherbrooke, demonstrating Habitat's services for the construction sector.
• Nature-AvenirnotableImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConservation organization commissioned by Ville de Nicolet to conduct feasibility study for voluntary ecological corridor, implementing Habitat's connectivity assessment recommendations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP Global: Canada-based global professional services firm with a large environment and biodiversity practice serving municipalities, financial institutions, and developers. Comparable to Habitat because it competes for the same Quebec and Canadian municipal biodiversity, climate adaptation, and ESG mandates, but at much larger scale.
• Stantec: Canadian-headquartered engineering and environmental consulting firm with established biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate adaptation practices. Overlaps with Habitat on municipal environmental planning and ESG/biodiversity services for private and public clients in North America.
• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy with a sustainability and biodiversity practice addressing nature-related risk and TNFD-aligned services for corporate and financial clients. Overlaps with Habitat on corporate biodiversity diagnostics, ESG disclosure, and nature-based solutions.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): World's largest pure-play sustainability consultancy, with deep biodiversity, TNFD advisory, and nature-related financial disclosure practices. Directly competes with Habitat for corporate and financial-institution biodiversity mandates, including investments like NatureInvest.
• Ramboll: International sustainability and environmental consulting firm with biodiversity, nature-based solutions, and TNFD services. Comparable to Habitat in serving municipalities and corporates on biodiversity strategy and climate adaptation, but at substantially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Ecofish Research: Canadian environmental consulting firm specializing in aquatic and terrestrial ecology, environmental assessments, and biodiversity monitoring for infrastructure and resource projects. Directly comparable to Habitat in offering scientific, regulatory, and biodiversity-focused consulting services to Canadian public and private clients.
• SLR Consulting: Global environmental and sustainability consultancy with ecology, biodiversity, and ecosystem services practices serving mining, infrastructure, real estate, and public-sector clients. Closely comparable to Habitat on ecological assessments, habitat surveys, and biodiversity strategy.
• NatureServe: Nonprofit network providing biodiversity data, ecological assessments, and conservation science tools used by governments, NGOs, and financial institutions. Closely comparable to Habitat in providing biodiversity science, monitoring methodologies, and ecosystem-level decision support.
• RSK Group: UK-based environmental consulting firm with ecology, biodiversity net gain, and nature-related risk practices. Comparable to Habitat on ecological surveys, biodiversity strategy for developers, and nature-based solutions consulting for public and private clients.

Regional players

• BBA Consultants: Canadian engineering and environmental consulting firm with an environment practice serving Quebec and Canadian clients in energy, mining, and infrastructure. Regional overlap with Habitat on Quebec-based environmental and biodiversity-related mandates, though Habitat's niche is more ecology- and biodiversity-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/habitatnaturemtl
• Facebookfacebook.com/habitatnaturemtl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Habitat