Financial Assistance for Landowners

The Hamilton Watershed Stewardship Program’s Water Quality and Habitat Improvement Program (WQHIP)

Private landowners throughout the watershed may be eligible to apply for financial assistance if they are undertaking conservation projects that improve wildlife habitat or water quality. The WQHIP supports rural, agricultural and urban property owners who have natural features on their properties or who are creating natural areas. Technical and volunteer assistance may also be available. For more information about the WQHIP, please contact a Watershed Stewardship Technician.

Examples of projects that private landowners have completed with financial assistance from the WQHIP include:

• creating streamside vegetation buffers
• fencing out livestock from streams
• improving fish and wildlife habitat
• controlling erosion
• creating meadow, forest, prairie and wetland habitat
• supporting cover crops
• increasing biodiversity

Allowing stormwater to infiltrate into the ground naturally filters the stormwater and replenishes groundwater resources. We are pleased to be offering grants to property owners in the HCA watershed to cover 50% of costs up to a maximum of $2,500 for eligible projects to manage stormwater such as bioswales, downspout disconnections, infiltration trenches, soak away pits and stormwater retention/storage.

Our annual deadline to submit a funding application occurs on December 1. To see our WQHIP Guidelines click here.