Events

Many civic organizations hold very successful annual ‘lobby days’ where members gather on Parliament Hill to meet with MPs, Senators, and other officials to raise awareness of issues important to the organization.

In mid-November, CPAWS-OV will hold its very first Lobby Day. We hope to meet with all the MPs from across the Ottawa River watershed to solicit their support for critical conservation opportunities in our region, including legislative protection for Gatineau Park and the National Capital Greenbelt.

We can’t do this on our own! We need your help! We need to demonstrate broad support for the measures we are proposing, and we need voices from the MP’s constituency with us to help make the case. Please consider joining us.

You need not be an expert! You will be matched with a member of the CPAWS-OV staff or board familiar with the issues for your meeting with the MP, you will also be provided with a comprehensive briefing package on our ask of the MP and a training session will be provided to answer all your questions.

If you would like to join us, please contact Johanna at ov-outreach@cpaws.org with the name of your Member of Parliament and/or federal constituency. The date of the actual Lobby Day will be confirmed in the next few weeks, but it is expected to be during the day, mid-week, in mid-November. The meetings will take place on or around Parliament Hill in downtown Ottawa.

April 11 2022

Journey Through the Dumoine River

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

Join us and the Valley Artisans’ Co-op Gallery Saturday, May 14, from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m., to discover the wonders of the Dumoine River through art.

Together, we’re hosting a fundraiser with innovative art pieces, great food, and captivating speakers for an unforgettable experience in Deep River.

Proceeds will go towards our conservation efforts of the Dumoine River for future generations of animals and people alike.

Artists showcased at the event will also host live art demonstrations, ranging from painting to felting and more.

Connect with your community, art, and nature at this family-friendly outdoor event May 14.

Why are we hosting this event?

Southwestern Quebec is home to some of the last remaining large and intact watersheds in the Ottawa Valley.

And our vision for this region is bold and inspiring.

We want to establish an interconnected network of protected areas centered around the Dumoine watershed.

This will:

help protect the species at risk living in the area,
form a connection between forests within the Ottawa Valley and the northern Boreal forest,
boost local eco-tourism, and
promote a thriving natural landscape for our future generations to enjoy.

And we want to take this journey with you.

Where: Valley Artisans’ Co-op Gallery, 33373 Highway 17, Deep River, Ontario

When: Saturday, May 14, from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.

If you can’t join us on May 14, you can still take this journey. The art exhibit will be available until June 12 at Valley Artisans’ Co-op Gallery.

February 26 2022

CPAWS Café: 30 years along the Coulonge River with Hap Wilson

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

Join us and Canadian naturalist and author Hap Wilson Monday, March 14, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

As we get ready for another paddling season, Wilson will share stories from his travels along the rivers of our region, with a particular focus on the Coulonge, having returned last fall for the first time in over 30 years. He will share his thoughts on how the river has changed and what we can do to help protect our iconic rivers.

This CPAWS Café will be in English.

February 14 2022

Ski Tour Along the Ottawa River

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

On Sunday, March 6, come out to ski along the beautiful Ottawa River (Kichi Sibi), and learn more about its historical, cultural and ecological significance!

This two-hour tour, beginning and ending at the Canadian War Museum, will include a short classic ski lesson, and take participants on a guided ski along the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail.

There will be a morning tour option (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) and an afternoon tour option (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.).

This is a free, all-age tour being run by participants of the Canadian Wilderness Stewardship Program.

If lack of ski equipment prevents you from taking part in this event, please indicate this during registration, as a limited number of rentals will be provided free of charge.

To register your spot for this event, please fill out this form by Friday, March 4th.

Questions about the event can be sent to ov-education@cpaws.org.

This event will be held in English.

January 11 2022

CPAWS Café | Wood Turtles: How can we ensure the protection and recovery of this vulnerable species in Southwestern Quebec?

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

The wood turtle is listed as a vulnerable species in Quebec due to habitat loss and degradation, river pollution and road mortality. These turtles can be found in our region of interest for conservation, notably around the Dumoine, Noire, and Coulonge rivers watersheds.

Join Mathieu St-Laurent-Addison, Conservation Projects Coordinator for CPAWS-OV and Cénédra Poulin, Environmental Sustainability Projects Coordinator for CREDDO, on Monday, February 7, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., for a discussion on the threats faced by wood turtles in the region and conservation opportunities to safeguard their habitat.

We will dive into:

Our habitat stewardship project collaboration with CREDDO, Indigenous Guardians from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, and MFFP
The importance of raising awareness among forest road users to prevent mortality
Next steps in protecting critical wood turtle habitat

The last half hour will be a Q+A for you to ask any questions.

This CPAWS Café will be in French and English.

Don’t miss your chance to join the conversation.

November 11 2021

CPAWS Café | How planned giving can help you leave a legacy of nature

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

Many loyal CPAWS Ottawa Valley supporters donate because they want to protect our wilderness, not only for themselves but for all the future generations to come.

Making a planned gift is more than an opportunity to give one last time to a charity you love – it’s an opportunity to leave a legacy of values.

Anyone can make a bequest. The amount doesn’t matter. Supporting the world you’d like to see is what counts.

Join us Monday, November 22, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. for a discussion on planned giving. We’ll go over the basic mechanisms and considerations involved in making a planned gift.

You’ll also hear from Oliver Kent, a long-time supporter, on his motivations and experiences of setting up a planned gift for CPAWS. Most importantly, you’ll learn how you can make sure a planned gift to CPAWS will support the area or campaign you care about most.

CPAWS Ottawa Valley envisions a Canada that values nature for its own sake, for its life-sustaining qualities, and for its importance in the fight against climate change. The right areas need to be protected, defended, and effectively managed to sustain the nature within them for the well-being of current and future generations while working in a way that respects the sovereignty and leadership of Indigenous nations. Canada has 9% of the world’s forests, so we have an immense role to play in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. Can there be any better legacy than that?

This CPAWS Café will be held in English, but we invite questions during the Q+A portion in both English and French.

October 19 2021

CPAWS Café | Gatineau Park: Pitfalls and possibilities in protection

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

Join CPAWS-OV and Michael Lait, Postdoctoral Researcher and Instructor at Vancouver Island University, on Monday, October 25, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. for an intriguing discussion about Gatineau Park’s unique history, conservation issues, and what’s needed to protect this iconic park for present and future generations.

The first hour will be a presentation by Dr. Lait diving into:

the history of Gatineau Park in the context of Canada’s national parks system,
the population and development pressures currently facing the park, and
opportunities for legislative protection and reimagining Gatineau Park.

The last half hour will be a Q+A where you will have the opportunity to ask any Gatineau Park questions you have.

This CPAWS Café will be in English only.

Don’t miss your chance to join the conversation. Register today.

September 3 2021

Annual General Meeting

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

Join us on Thursday, September 23, at 7:00 p.m. for our 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPAWS Ottawa Valley team has been working hard to protect the places you love.

Join us to learn more about our work to:

protect Gatineau Park,
progress toward a new protected area in the Noire and Coulonge watersheds,
efforts to protect wood turtles,
plans for conservation in Ontario’s Madawaska Highlands, and
plans to link Algonquin Park to the Dumoine River protected area.

We will also provide updates on the Canadian Wilderness Stewardship Program, our flagship youth engagement initiative.

Resources:

April 21 2021

CPAWS Café – Paused until the Fall

CPAWS OV Events, Featured Events

CPAWS Cafés will resume in the Fall, follow us on social media to know when they start up again!