Canards Illimités - Québec

Name

Canards Illimités - Québec

Legal name

Canards Illimités Canada

Website

https://canards.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wetland and Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access) (THAAAAAH)

Keywords

• Wetland conservation services
• Habitat restoration programs
• Waterfowl conservation
• Environmental landscaping services
• Conservation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Stonewall

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: CIC collects individual donations and membership fees. Membership starts at $5/month. Donors can give monthly, annually, or one-time, with various suggested amounts ($5, $25, $100 monthly; $60, $120, $300 annually). Membership provides wildlife protection, water quality, and environmental benefits.
2. Hooked on Habitat Lottery: CIC runs an annual promotional lottery (Hooked on Habitat) lasting 12 weeks, with weekly prize draws and grand prizes. Ticket packages available at $10 (1 ticket), $25 (3 tickets), and $50 (7 tickets). The 2025 campaign mobilized 3,384 participants and raised over $292,000.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: CIC receives funding from government agencies and conservation foundations for specific projects. The Dawson Creek beaver dam analogue project was partially funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF), funded by hunters, fishers, trappers, and outfitters.
4. Branded Merchandise Sales: CIC operates an e-commerce store (shop.ducks.ca) selling clothing and accessories branded with the DUC logo. Purchases support Canadian wetland and habitat conservation efforts.
5. Conservation Pro Environmental Services: CIC offers professional environmental landscaping services (Conservation Pro) to commercial clients, providing practical, science-based solutions for commercial environmental challenges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Canards Illimités Canada is a registered Canadian nonprofit conservation organization that delivers wetland, prairie, and boreal forest habitat restoration and protection programs across all Canadian provinces and territories. Its portfolio includes landowner conservation agreements (Agricultural and Land Programs), scientific research through the Institute for Wetland and Water Research, commercial environmental landscaping services under the Conservation Pro brand, the National Boreal Forest Program, and a national education network anchored by Wetland Centers of Excellence. The organization is funded primarily through individual donations, memberships, government and foundation grants, branded merchandise, the Hooked on Habitat lottery, and event-based fundraising.

Product overview

Ducks Unlimited Canada (Canards Illimités Canada) is a conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs, services, and campaigns focused on wetland, waterfowl, and wildlife conservation. Its core offerings include scientific research through the Institute for Wetland and Water Research; professional conservation services through Conservation Pro; land management through Agricultural and Land Programs; and environmental education through Education Programs and the Wetland Centers of Excellence network. The organization supplements these with fundraising campaigns (Hooked on Habitat lottery, auctions), member merchandise (CIC Collection), community events (Canards en Cavale run), and specialized restoration projects (Beaver Dam Analogues, Carp Exclusion Structures). The organization operates across all Canadian provinces and territories, serving landowners, volunteers, members, educators, and the general public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• L'Institut de recherche sur les terres humides et la sauvagine (Institute for Wetland and Water Research): Scientific research division of Canards Illimités Canada focused on wetland and waterfowl research.
• La Force de la nature (The Nature Force)
• Conservation Pro
• Native Plant Solutions
• Canards en Cavale
• L'appât de l'habitat (Hooked on Habitat)

Products and services

• Agricultural and Land Programs Conservation programs helping Canadian landowners maximize the productivity of their lands while contributing to environmental balance, accessed through a dedicated portal at ag.ducks.ca. For farmers and rural landowners entering formal conservation agreements with CIC.
• Institute for Wetland and Water Research (Institut de recherche sur les terres humides et la sauvagine) Scientific research division of Canards Illimités Canada that conducts research to guide and advance wetland and waterfowl conservation practices. Part of a network of partners for advancing and sharing knowledge, including the CIC Research Chair at the University of Saskatchewan.
• National Boreal Forest Program (Programme national de la forêt boréale) Programs for boreal forest conservation providing products, services, and conservation objectives to preserve boreal wetlands in Canada.
• Conservation Pro (Native Plant Solutions) Professional environmental landscaping and conservation services providing practical, science-based solutions to help commercial and municipal clients address environmental challenges through wetland and habitat restoration. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
• Education Programs (Wetland Centers of Excellence) Spaces, programs, and resources enabling people of all ages to engage with conservation and the wonders of nature, including the national network of Wetland Centers of Excellence (Centres d'excellence des milieux humides).
• Canards en Cavale A fun run event for wetland conservation, offered in both virtual and in-person formats across Canada, engaging participants in supporting wetland preservation.
• Hooked on Habitat (L'appât de l'habitat) A national promotional lottery campaign connecting Canadians' passion for fishing and outdoor activities to wetland conservation outcomes. Tickets are sold at $10 single, $25 for 3, and $50 for 7, with weekly prize draws over 12 weeks and grand prizes including fishing adventures and boats. The first campaign (2025) attracted 3,384 participants and raised over $292,000.
• The Nature Force (La Force de la nature) Innovative partnership focused on peri-urban projects that reduce the effects of flooding from extreme weather events, engaging with urban water management challenges.
• CIC Collection (La Collection CIC) Branded merchandise including clothing and accessories demonstrating support for conservation and Canadian wilderness. Purchases support wetland habitat conservation efforts in Canada. Available at shop.ducks.ca.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.57 million hectares of wetland, prairie, and forest habitat conserved across Canada
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BC Conservation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnered with CIC on Spartina eradication field work in British Columbia. BC Conservation Foundation worked alongside CIC as the primary organizational partner coordinating on-the-ground treatment and monitoring activities.
• BC Spartina Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000A coalition of government agencies, First Nations, NGOs, and conservationists led by the BC Spartina Working Group to combat invasive Spartina species on British Columbia's coast. CIC coordinated field work alongside the BC Conservation Foundation, with provincial government, Port Vancouver, and other funders providing financial support. The partnership reduced Spartina by 96% from 23,000+ plants to near-elimination.
• The Nature ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn innovative partnership focused on peri-urban projects that reduce the effects of flooding from extreme weather events. Nature Force represents CIC's engagement with urban water management challenges.
• Hilliardton Marsh Research and Education CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA key partner in CIC's Wetland Excellence Centre educational network. Hilliardton Marsh serves as a migration monitoring station tracking bird species across northeastern Ontario. CIC supports the centre's research and education programs, including bird banding and student engagement.
• Hilliardton Marsh Provincial Wildlife AreaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial wildlife area operated in partnership with CIC, serving as a hub for bird migration research and the Wetland Excellence Centre network in Ontario.
• Centre d'excellence des milieux humides Papineau / Plaisance National ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between CIC's Wetland Excellence Centre in Papineau and Parks Canada (SEPAQ-managed Plaisance National Park). Students conduct wetland research and wildlife inventories in the park environment. SEPAQ (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec) manages the park providing the educational backdrop.
• Plummer's Arctic LodgesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrize sponsor for the Hooked on Habitat 2026 campaign, providing a 4-day fishing adventure for four to Great Slave Lake (valued at $27,000 CAD) as the flagship grand prize. CIC leverages the brand's reputation to attract lottery participants.
• Bass Pro Shops and Cabela'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrize sponsor for the Hooked on Habitat 2026 campaign, providing a 2026 TRACKER Grizzly 1650 T Prairie Wings Edition boat with motor and trailer (valued at $22,325 CAD) as Grand Prize 2. The partnership extends CIC's reach to the brands' extensive Canadian outdoor enthusiast customer base.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wildlife Habitat Canada: National nonprofit funded primarily by the federal Habitat Stamp on hunting licenses, focused on fish and wildlife habitat. Closely comparable funding model (user-fee-based) and direct overlap with CIC's landowner agreement programs.
• Canadian Wildlife Federation: National Canadian nonprofit focused on wildlife and habitat conservation with a strong education and advocacy mandate. Closely comparable as a membership-based conservation charity with overlapping education programs and policy work.
• World Wildlife Fund Canada: Canadian arm of the global WWF network, focused on species and habitat conservation. Overlaps with CIC in wetland conservation, donor fundraising (lotteries, memberships), and government policy advocacy.
• Ducks Unlimited Inc. The U.S. counterpart of CIC, founded in 1937, focused on wetland and waterfowl conservation across North America. Operates the same habitat-conservation-agreement model and serves as the natural cross-border peer for benchmarking fundraising, policy influence, and conservation methods.
• Nature Conservancy of Canada: Canada's largest private land conservation organization, using conservation agreements and land acquisition to protect natural areas. Directly competes with CIC for landowner agreements and donor mindshare in the Canadian habitat conservation space.

Emerging players

• Earth Rangers: Canadian youth-focused conservation charity with a membership model aimed at children and families. Comparable in donor/membership mechanics and Canadian focus, but distinct in demographic; represents a younger donor pipeline that complements CIC.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global environmental nonprofit using private-sector techniques for conservation. Comparable in scale and science-driven approach; useful benchmark for what a mature conservation organization with Conservation Pro-style fee services could look like.
• Audubon Society: U.S.-based large-scale bird and habitat conservation organization with a comparable membership + chapter network model. While U.S.-focused, it is a benchmark for national-brand conservation fundraising and chapter-led conservation delivery.
• Conservation International: Global environmental NGO focused on biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development. Broad incumbent in the same mission space, with comparable scientific research arm (analogous to IWWR) and corporate partnership fundraising.

Regional players

• Delta Waterfowl: North American waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization focused on breeding duck populations and hunter-supported research. Overlaps with CIC on waterfowl science and hunter-angler funding sources, but operates with a more research/lobbying focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCR5V5lumfBOHkGOYxKbghsg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ducksunlimitedcanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canards-illimites-quebec
• Instagraminstagram.com/ducksunlimitedcanada

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Canards Illimités - Québec