Blazing Star Environmental Inc.

What Blazing Star Environmental Inc. does

Blazing Star Environmental Inc. is a privately held social enterprise founded in 2015 by Orixana Urquhart and headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The company provides ecological consulting, land management, and specialized environmental training services focused on reptiles, amphibians, and species at risk in Ontario. Its service portfolio spans six core categories: Broad Scale Planning (natural heritage studies and land securement strategies), Property and Species Management (baseline documentation, stewardship plans, conservation easement inspections), Species and Ecosystem Identification and Mapping (ecological land classification, flora/fauna surveys, butternut health assessments), Scientific Advice, Analysis and Monitoring (population research, pre/post-construction monitoring), Invasive Species Management (survey, planning, and implementation), and Training/Outreach and Consultation.

The company's technical foundation rests on proprietary methodologies including the WCF Long-Term Monitoring Protocol for Western Chorus Frog populations and a WCF Priority Mapping System for geographic detection prioritization. Blazing Star also operates flagship conservation initiatives—the Western Chorus Frog Conservation Program (including the WCF Friendly Certification) and the Lost Species At Risk project targeting seven reptile and amphibian species—and runs the Ontario Reptile & Amphibian Survey Course (offered annually since 2012 with 300+ trained participants) and the Ontario Snake Habitat Course in partnership with Toadally Restored. The team of approximately seven includes senior ecologists, certified wetland evaluators, GIS specialists, and field technicians, with deep specialization in Ontario herpetofauna.

The business model combines fee-for-service ecological consulting (delivered to government agencies, conservation authorities, conservation NGOs, developers, and private landowners), training course fees ($1,250+HST standard, $625+HST discounted), and citizen science volunteer coordination supported by federal funding (Environment and Climate Change Canada, Habitat Stewardship Program). Go-to-market is primarily sales-led via direct consulting engagements, supplemented by event-driven annual training programs and community-led citizen science initiatives. The company is founder-owned with no external institutional investors identified.

Name

Blazing Star Environmental Inc.

Legal name

Blazing Star Environmental

Website

https://blazingstar.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blazing Star Environmental Inc. is an Ontario-based social enterprise providing ecological consulting, species-at-risk monitoring, and herpetology training to government agencies, conservation organizations, developers, and private landowners since 2015.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Consulting Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Ecological consulting services
• Species at risk surveys
• Natural heritage planning
• Invasive species management
• Herpetological training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Oshawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ecological Consulting Services: Fee-for-service ecological consulting engagements providing natural heritage studies, species surveys, habitat assessments, environmental impact studies, and regulatory compliance services to government agencies, conservation authorities, land trusts, developers, and private landowners.
2. Training Course Fees: Revenue from the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Survey Course ($1,250 + HST regular, $625 + HST discounted) and Ontario Snake Habitat Course. Includes course materials, instruction, meals, and accommodation components.
3. Volunteer Survey Services: Professional survey services offered to private landowners who want WCF presence assessment but lack time to conduct surveys themselves, coordinated through volunteer networks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blazing Star Environmental is an Ontario-based social enterprise providing fee-for-service ecological consulting focused on reptiles, amphibians, and species at risk. Service lines include broad-scale natural heritage planning, property and species management plans, species and ecosystem identification and mapping, scientific advice and biological monitoring, invasive species management, and training/outreach. The firm also delivers annual training courses (Ontario Reptile & Amphibian Survey Course, Ontario Snake Habitat Course) and operates conservation initiatives including the Western Chorus Frog Conservation Program and the Lost Species At Risk Project.

Product overview

Blazing Star Environmental Inc. is a social enterprise providing ecological consulting and environmental services. The company operates a portfolio of professional service offerings organized around broad-scale planning, property and species management, species identification and mapping, scientific analysis and monitoring, invasive species management, and training programs. The core service lines include: Broad Scale Planning (natural heritage studies and land securement), Property & Species Management (management plans and stewardship), Species & Ecosystem Identification & Mapping (ecological classification and surveys), Scientific Advice, Analysis & Monitoring (research and biological monitoring), Invasive Species Management (survey, planning, and action), and Training/Outreach (including the Ontario Reptile & Amphibian Survey Course and Ontario Snake Habitat Course). Major conservation initiatives include the Western Chorus Frog Conservation Program with volunteer surveys and WCF Friendly Certification, and the Lost Species At Risk Project targeting seven reptile and amphibian species. The company also offers an online observation submission system for WCF survey data collection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Broad Scale Planning

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ participants trained in herpetological survey methods since 2012
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Environment and Climate Change CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnered with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Trent University in 2020 to establish the WCF Long-Term Monitoring Program. Primary goals were to update WCF distribution across its range, determine distribution changes over time, and identify new patches of important habitat. ECCC provides funding and regulatory oversight for species at risk recovery.
• Trent UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Academic partner in WCF Long-Term Monitoring Program established in 2020. Contributes research expertise and capacity for data analysis. Partnership aims to collect data on WCF abundance and distribution to inform recovery efforts.
• Central Lake Ontario Conservation AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal conservation group partner in Lost Species At Risk project, working to find and protect undiscovered reptile and amphibian populations in Durham Region and Northumberland County before urban development impacts habitat.
• Ontario NaturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial nature organization partner in conservation projects including Lost Species At Risk and Western Chorus Frog monitoring. Provides network support and resources for species at risk protection across Ontario.
• Northumberland Land TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal land trust partner in Lost Species At Risk project. Works to protect natural habitats and supports species monitoring and stewardship activities in Northumberland County area.
• Toadally RestoredmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Ontario Snake Habitat Course delivery. Toadally Restored brings expertise from development of Ontario's snake habitat best management practices. Course focuses on identifying, assessing, managing, enhancing, and creating habitat for Ontario's species at risk snakes.
• Ganaraska Region Conservation AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation authority partner in Lost Species At Risk project working in Durham Region and Northumberland County to locate and protect undiscovered reptile and amphibian populations.
• Kawartha Region Conservation AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation authority partner in Lost Species At Risk project, contributing to species monitoring and habitat protection efforts in their jurisdiction.
• Toronto Region Conservation AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation authority partner providing resources and coordination for species at risk conservation projects in the Greater Toronto Area.
• YMCA Camp KitchikewanaminorOthersHost venue for the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Survey Course on Beausoleil Island in Georgian Bay Islands National Park. Provides rustic but comfortable accommodations including cabins, meals, and facilities for course participants.
• Scales Nature ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization contributing expertise and live reptile/amphibian specimens to training courses. Founder Jeff Hathaway serves as course instructor, bringing species identification and handling expertise.
• Oak Ridges Moraine Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal land trust partner in Lost Species At Risk project, contributing to land protection and species monitoring in the Oak Ridges Moraine area.
• Lone Pine Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal land trust partner in Lost Species At Risk project, supporting conservation efforts in the project area.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global multi-disciplinary environmental services firm with a large Canadian Environmental Services practice delivering EIA, permitting, ecological restoration, and species at risk work. Broad incumbent that competes with BSE on larger integrated mandates where multi-disciplinary capabilities are required.
• WSP Global: Global professional services firm with a substantial Canadian environment practice covering environmental assessment, ecological services, climate, and sustainability. Broad incumbent that absorbs species at risk work as part of much larger environmental and infrastructure mandates.
• GHD: Global employee-owned engineering and environmental consulting firm with a strong Ontario presence providing environmental impact assessment, ecological services, and natural heritage work. Broad incumbent because species at risk and ecological services are part of a wider portfolio rather than its core specialty.

Direct peers

• Cambium Environmental: Ontario-based environmental and natural resource consulting firm providing ecological land classification, species at risk assessments, environmental impact studies, and forestry services. Direct peer because the core service mix (ELS, SAR surveys, EIA) directly overlaps BSE's broad scale planning and species survey lines.
• Dillon Consulting: Canadian consulting firm with an established environmental planning and natural sciences practice delivering EIA, species at risk, permitting, and ecological restoration services across Ontario. Direct peer at the larger end of the same competitive set BSE operates in.
• Natural Resource Solutions Inc. Ontario-based ecological and natural resource consulting firm offering species at risk surveys, ecological land classification, permitting, and restoration services for municipalities, conservation authorities, and developers. Direct peer because BSE and NRSI compete head-to-head on natural heritage and species at risk work in Ontario.
• RiverStone Environmental Solutions: Ontario-headquartered ecological consulting firm specializing in environmental impact assessments, natural heritage studies, and species at risk work for municipalities, conservation authorities, and private developers. Direct peer given near-identical service offering and client base across Ontario.
• Beacon Environmental Limited: Ontario-based ecological consulting firm providing natural heritage, species at risk, environmental impact, and restoration services to public and private sector clients across the province. Direct peer because it competes for the same environmental assessment and species at risk mandates in the same Ontario geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlazingStarEnv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blazing-star-environmental-inc

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 Blazing Star Environmental Inc.