Chapter Updates – Winter 2026

The New Year is underway and our Chapters have been busy ramping up for 2026! Let’s look back at the work our Chapters have been engaged in!  

Hosting conferences with hundreds of attendees, creating new resources and partnerships, Invasives Canada’s Chapters have been active across the country in preventing the spread of invasive species and protecting local ecosystems. Our national network includes ten provincial and territorial invasive species organizations, each with its own structure and mandate, working together to address local priorities while maintaining consistent messaging and resources from coast to coast to coast. Through on-the-ground projects and community engagement, Chapters play a vital role in restoration, prevention, and public awareness. Dive into our latest updates to see what they’ve accomplished this past season!

 

Our Chapters include:

Invasives Canada chapter map

 

Alberta Invasive Species Council:

  • The Alberta Invasive Species Council (AISC) 13th Annual Conference and 20th Anniversary Celebration is open for registration! Join AISC in-person in Olds, AB on March 11th and 12th, 2026! The event will dive into the latest innovations in invasive species research, technology, and management with sessions offering certified pesticide applicator credits, poster session, door prizes and a special anniversary celebration. This is a once-a-year opportunity to connect and learn with top experts – AISC can’t wait to host you! Registration closes February 27.  
  • New 2025 AISC year in review, and several new factsheets (koi fish, roof rats, New Zealand mud snail, emerald ash borer, kochia, ventenata, common carp and rosy red minnow).  
  • Partnered with the Alberta Real Estate Foundation for a project focused on tree pests in Alberta and aims to raise awareness about the risks that invasive pests and diseases pose to urban forests, landscape trees and shelterbelts with ID and management of these species.

  

Invasives Species Council of BC

  • INVASIVES 2026 – One Landscape, One Future
    • INVASIVES 2026, took place last week February 9 to 12 at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, B.C., with a hybrid option for virtual attendees. This year’s theme, One Landscape, One Future, highlights the connections between working lands, wild spaces, and communities and the responsibility we share to steward them.

 

Ontario Invasive Plant Council

  • Recordings from the Growing Solutions Horticulture Conference co-hosted with Invasives Canada can be found here. 
  • OIPC is putting together a task force that will assist in updating our Grow Me Instead Guide. The task force will be made up of diverse voices representing Ontario’s horticulture sector. The update will ensure alternative plants recommended in the guide reflect industry realities and create a pathway for implementation. 
  • For Ontario residents only! Help us better understand current trends across Ontario’s native plant market. Your feedback will help support native plant availability in your region. https://bit.ly/4rldxCu 
  • Japanese Knotweed BMP in progress! 

 

Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council

  • The fifth annual Nova Scotia Invasive Species Forum was held on Friday, February 13, and featured presentations about invasive species research and management happening throughout the province. Despite having to switch to a fully virtual event last minute due to flooding at the planned venue, over 120 participants joined – the biggest turnout yet! A recording of the Forum will be available soon.
  • Upcoming events:
    • March 13-15: Atlantic Outdoor Sports & RV Show
    • April 15: Armbrae Academy Environmental Fair (with YES Program)
    • March: NSCC Sustainability Fair (date TBD)
  • New signage is being developed, including:
    • Marine Clean Drain Dry for yacht clubs, saltwater marinas, and public saltwater boat launches.
    • Smallmouth Bass & Chain Pickerel and Redswamp & Marbled Crayfish ID and reporting signage to be deployed in high-risk areas through partnerships with watershed groups, NGOs, etc.
  • Results from the NSISC’s 2025 Pilot Monitoring Project eDNA sample analysis found no detections of Zebra Mussels in sample areas from eDNA water samples or eDNA swabbing of settling plates! Further analysis is being conducted for other AIS. Our project partners have been provided with the results from their specific sampling areas. Planning is also underway for 2026 monitoring with new partners and in new areas of the province.
  • The NSISC hosted information booths and presentations at several events, including the Atlantic Canada Forest Health Workshop and the Horticulture Nova Scotia Invasive Species and Climate Change Workshop.
  • The NSISC has created and published new fact sheets available on our website, for species including Autumn Olive, Goutweed, and Wild Parsnip.
  • The NSISC also developed an AIS Finder Web Application to be distributed to our partners. This allows users to see which waterbodies AIS are found in across the province by searching for species and/or waterbody names.
  • The NSISC is partnering with the Halifax Regional Municipality’s Environment and Climate Change Division to address invasive species in HRM parks by enhancing volunteer engagement and operational protocols.
  • Guidebooks, Take Action stickers, and NS native wildflower seeds are now available in the NSISC’s new online store!

 

Prince Edward Island Invasive Species Council

  • The PEIISC Annual Forum 2025 was held this past November. With a focus on aquatic invasive species this year, the PEIISC welcomed speakers to discuss invasive fish on PEI, the threat of zebra mussels making their way to the island, and the work being done in Basin Head Marine Protected Area to protect the unique giant Irish moss populations from destruction at the hands (claws) of the European green crab.
  • This past holiday season, the PEIISC ran a video ad campaign highlighting responsible pet ownership and ‘pets as gifts’ through the lens of ‘Don’t Let it Loose’. This campaign reached over 50,000 people and drove over 1,000 visits to our web page!
  • The PEIISC will soon be releasing our Aquatic Invasive Species Resource Handbook for Educator to support early elementary teachers in bringing AIS education into the classroom with fun and engaging activities!

Saskatchewan Invasive Species Council

  • Various invasive species initiatives will be highlighted at the annual general meeting of the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan on March 21-22 in Regina, SK and at the Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference in May in Saskatoon.
  • Continuing with flowering rush management in the province; partner organizations have applied for funding to support 2026 field activities.
  • The provincial weed specialist is writing an article discussing the recent updates made to the Saskatchewan Weed Control Act plant list.
  • Weed factsheets are being developed to cover the new species that have been added to the provincial Weed Control Act plant list.

 

 

News & Events Categories

Stop The Spread: Report Invasive Species

How to Prevent and Manage Invasive Species

The Impact of Invasive Species on Canada’s Ecosystems and Economy

Invasive Species Resources: Guides, Manuals, and Best Practices