The Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) provides funding for projects that restore and improve the natural environment following environmental harm caused by violations, penalties, or court orders. Administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada, this funding stream supports large-scale research and analysis projects that advance Canada’s path to net zero by improving understanding of greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutants, mitigation technologies, and emissions measurement systems.

Applicants must demonstrate how their project meets one of the following themes:

• Theme A: Research on future greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutants, climate impacts, and air quality changes related to achieving net zero.
• Theme B: Research on mitigation technologies, practices, and pathways that support Canada’s transition to net zero.
• Theme C: Research to improve emissions measurement, monitoring, reporting, verification, and national emissions data.

Objectives

• Advance research and analysis supporting Canada’s path to net zero
• Improve understanding of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollutants
• Support development and evaluation of mitigation technologies and practices
• Enhance emissions measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification systems
• Improve climate modelling, emissions forecasting, and net-zero planning
• Strengthen data used for Canada’s national emissions inventories and reduction targets

Eligible Activities

• Research on future GHG emissions and air pollutant trends
• Climate and air quality modelling and simulations
• Research on impacts of forest fires, permafrost thaw, and land-use changes
• Studies evaluating net-zero technologies, mitigation actions, and carbon removal approaches
• Development and testing of emissions measurement and monitoring tools
• Projects improving emissions quantification in sectors such as oil and gas, waste, healthcare, forestry, agriculture, and refrigerants
• Research addressing gaps in emissions data and reporting systems
• Analysis of pathways and obstacles to achieving net zero in Canada

Ineligible Activities

• Projects led by for-profit organizations or individuals
• Activities outside Canada
• Lobbying or advocacy initiatives
• Infrastructure construction projects
• Ongoing operational or administrative activities unrelated to the project
• Projects that do not align with one of the program themes
• Applications requesting less than $500,000 or more than $2 million from ECCC
• Projects exceeding a five-year duration