WSP in Canada (WSP) has been awarded funding for the SatCaribou project as part of the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) Satellite Mobilization for Biodiversity Action opportunity.

The CSA’s smartEarth initiative “…aims to give Canada's downstream space sector (data exploitation) the support it needs to accelerate innovations in the creation and delivery of new Earth observation (EO) applications.” The Satellite Mobilization for Biodiversity Action opportunity, offered through smartEarth, gave 20 selected companies, including WSP, the opportunity to develop applications that utilize satellite data to protect biodiversity in Canada.

WSP is working with the Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, an Innu community in the Sept-îles region of eastern Quebec. The tool being developed, using artificial intelligence and satellite data, will help with mapping the boreal caribou habitat, adding a spatio-temporal dimension and providing additional valuable research to the information currently available.

“Caribou are an essential part of our daily lives. They not only provide us with nourishment and protection, but are also an important part of our culture and our spirituality,” said André Michel, Director of the Office for the Protection of Rights and Territory, Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam. “Working with WSP, we hope to use today’s innovation and our traditional knowledge to protect the caribou and their habitat for future generations.”

The project represents another opportunity for WSP to work closely with the CSA, having recently worked with partners from across the country on the smartWhales initiative.

Learn more about the CSA’s smartEarth initiative.

For more on how WSP works with communities to protect biodiversity:

About WSP in Canada

WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services firms, uniting its engineering, advisory and science-based expertise to shape communities to advance humanity. From local beginnings to a globe-spanning presence today, WSP operates in over 50 countries and employs approximately 73,000 professionals, known as Visioneers. WSP in Canada’s team of close than 13,000 professionals pioneer solutions and deliver innovative projects across the Transportation and Infrastructure, Earth and Environment, Property and Buildings, and Energy, Resources and Industry sectors.

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Macklin
Senior Advisor, Media and Public Affairs, WSP in Canada
T. 289 835-2536
E. [email protected]