ALUS Program

The local Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC) oversees the ALUS program. A PAC includes a broad spectrum of community members such as representatives from local environmental groups, government agencies and local industry. Approximately 50 percent of each PAC is made up of farmers. 

These are the services produced by healthy ecosystems that benefit people. In other words: Nature’s Benefits. These services include clean water, clean air, soil fertility, carbon sequestration, erosion control, buffering of climate extremes such as flooding, and healthy fish, wildlife and pollinator habitats. 

• Healthy riparian buffer zones provide critical wildlife habitat and improve water quality.
• Created or restored wetlands, which improve water quality and can protect communities against spring flooding and offset the impact of droughts. 
• Restoring native prairie enhances natural grazing, haying options, and critical habitat for species at risk.  
• Pollinator hedgerows provide habitat for pollinator’s which in turn pollinate our agricultural crops and native plants. 
• Reforestation 

Funding for ALUS comes from a variety of sources including municipal, provincial and federal government, private foundations, private corporations, angler and hunter groups, stewardship councils, agricultural and environmental groups. ALUS has many supporting partners that also generously donate in-kind support. 

With the assistance of an ALUS coordinator, farmers submit an Expression of Interest, which provides basic details on their operation. Site visits follow to determine what areas of the farm are best suited for an ALUS project. Participants sign a term agreement. They can opt out at any time, and payments are adjusted accordingly.

Most ALUS projects target areas that are marginally productive, are inefficient to farm, or are environmentally sensitive. Examples include saline areas along watercourses, steeply sloped crop land, low wet field areas, and odd areas that are difficult to farm with today’s larger equipment. ALUS also supports alternative management that has environmental benefits such as ensuring appropriate timing and intensity of grazing activities.

ALUS focuses on environmental outcomes on the working lands. Specifically marginal and ecologically sensitive lands, that are currently under production. In general a maximum of 20 percent of workable land is eligible. Exceptions can be made on a case by case basis. 

Currently payments are based on two factors: 

1. The average land rental rates in the program area.
2. The existing land use (crop land vs. pasture) 

All projects are developed in consultation with the farmer. Project development considers local ecology, project objectives (i.e.: curtailing wind erosion), and the type of farming operation. 

All projects are monitored by ALUS program staff, and independently audited by a trusted farm organization or existing institution.

Typically, it’s a three to five year agreement with the possibility of extension pending available funding. Contract length is determined by the local PAC and funding availability.

Yes. The Participant may terminate this Agreement at any time with thirty (30) days prior written notice to the ALUS Entity. If the Participant chooses to terminate this Agreement before the end of the Term, (a) the Annual Payment for the final year of the Term shall be pro-rated to the Notice Date and paid to the Participant; and (b) the Participant shall repay a portion of the establishment costs to the ALUS Entity based on the following formula: establishment costs paid by the ALUS Entity x percentage of Term remaining as of the Notice Date = amount of establishment costs to be repaid by the Participant to the ALUS Entity.

ALUS programs across the country have developed many community partnerships with conservation organizations, agricultural groups and different levels of government. 

 ALUS is an ecological goods and services delivery program that uses 'fee-for service' to provide environmental benefits to all Canadians.  ALUS provides these payments at fair market value, and will not provide environmental subsidies that artificially increase farm incomes.  

ALUS meets international trade obligations, and is similar to programs undertaken by our trading partners to deliver ecosystem services. The program is intended to be production neutral.  

Generally no, but some ALUS communities provide payment for significant improvement of an existing environmental feature. An example would be enhancement of a wetland by riparian fencing to prevent excessive impact from livestock whereby ALUS provides annual payment for existing (and enhanced) wetlands. ALUS may also recognize landscape improvements that have been completed by the participant in the past that are accompanied by new additional environmental restoration, enhancement or creation initiatives. These kinds of decisions are made by local Partnership Advisory Committees.

ALUS recognizes the importance of social, economic and environmental sciences in guiding implementation of the program at all levels. ALUS uses research to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of program activities as well as monitoring environmental outcomes.  As our projects and program matures, ALUS is working with academics across the country to evaluate outcomes of the ALUS program.  These studies are long term, but the information is published as it becomes available.

ALUS is unique because the program is community-developed and delivered by farmers.  ALUS recognizes the important role farmers and ranchers play as stewards of the land and recognizes the contributions that they make towards keeping our environment healthy through the sharing of project establishment costs and annual payments. ALUS creates a marketplace for farmers to produce and sell ecosystem services. 

Yes, ALUS farmers can work with other funding programs as long as they are not 'double dipping'- accessing funding for the same project.  ALUS works regularly with other programs to offset initial project establishment costs for the farmer.

No. The year the project is established, the Coordinator takes the full amount for annual payments over the full term out of the budget.  Meaning that if a project is established in 2016, and a 5 year agreement is signed, the full cost for the term of the contract is accounted for in the 2016 budget and set aside in trust by the county. That way, the funding is guaranteed to be available should funding amounts fluctuate and if funding were to dry up after the term of the contract, the county isn't on the hook for ongoing payments.

The contract length is set by the Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC) of each community so this decision is really up to you.  Most communities are using 3 to 5 year terms, and some vary depending on project type and establishment investment.  There are, of course, pros and cons to both long and short term agreements.  Agreements can be renewed once their term is up.