On June 12, 2024, the belugas' voices vibrated beautifully in the Maison Symphonique de Montréal. A pure moment of communion. The poetry of Natasha Kanapé Fontaineenrobée from the symphonic tale of Claudie Bertounesque carried by Nicolas Ellis, the musicians of the Agora Orchestra, Élisabeth St-Gelais and the Petits Chanteurs de Mont-Royal transported the belugas of the
Saint-Laurent in the heart of an audience who loves art and nature.

A small population of belugas has lived in the St. Lawrence for over 10,000 years. Isolated from neighboring populations in the far north, belugas of the St. Lawrence are endangered. Weakened by the sustained exposure to toxic products spilled in its habitat for decades, their population has never recovered from the intensive hunting of the last century. Belugas are now facing the upheavals caused by climate change. Our mission is to better understand belugas and their habitat through the scientific study of their behavior and monitoring their health. This knowledge is essential to define and implement concrete actions for the recovery of belugas and the conservation of the St. Lawrence ecosystem.

The support of the Agora orchestra and its public allowed us to complete the financing of our new research boat Antares named after the beluga whale adopted by Frédéric Back. Antares will replace Le Bleuvet, which has led us to the belugas every summer since 1989.

Much more than a generous donation that will help us continue our mission to better understand and protect the belugas of the St. Lawrence, the Gala de la terre has brought back the history and fate of the belugas in our hearts.

Les bélugas du Saint-Laurent ont besoin d'ami.e.s.

Thanks to the Gala de la terre, they found some.

Thanks.

WWF-Canada sincerely thanks the Agora Orchestra for its generosity and for choosing our organization as the beneficiary of the 2024 Gala de la terre. Your support directly contributes to our mission: to create a future where nature and humans live in harmony.

The Gala’s contribution reinforces Regenerate Canada, our 10-year plan to create the conditions to restore one million hectares of degraded ecosystems and protect and manage 100 million hectares, and reduce carbon emissions by 30 million tons by 2030 using nature-based climate solutions.

Thanks to the support of partners across the country, including the Gala community, WWF-Canada has made significant progress this year. More than two million native trees, shrubs and seeds have been planted, over 32,000 people have participated in fundraising and conservation activities, and over 230 species—many of them at risk—have benefited from our actions. Thousands have also spoken out for strong environmental laws.

Your support also contributes to essential work in the Québec–Windsor corridor, one of the most important and ecologically threatened regions. Working with local municipalities, WWF-Canada is restoring habitat in power transmission corridors by adding native plants, adjusting mowing practices and removing invasive species. These spaces often represent some of the last natural environments connected in urban areas.

The first results are very encouraging: we observe twice as many insects, more pollinators and a marked increase in plant diversity. More than 15 hectares have already been restored, and our partnerships continue to grow.

This work is supported by resources such as our new guide Native Plant Cultivation and Reproduction, aimed at communities and producers who want to support local ecological restoration.

We are honored to collaborate with the Agora Orchestra—a beautiful illustration of how, just like music, protecting nature brings people together and strengthens our communities. Thank you for contributing to a healthier and more resilient future for all.

Thanks to the Agora Orchestra for their Gala de la terre and their generous support of the work of Sierra Club Canada in inspiring wonder, connection and respect for nature.

Your commitment has played a vital role in promoting our efforts to defend the rights of nature, through education, community engagement, and strengthening relationships between people and the lands and waters that feed us all.

Thanks to your help, we were able to develop River Voices, an initiative of the Alliance Tenàgàdino which aims to honor the rights of the Tenàgàdino Zibi / Gatineau river. The Tenàgàdino Zìbì/Gatineau River flows on unceded and unabandoned land belonging to the Algonquin Anishinabeg, who have been ancestral guardians of the river for thousands of years.

Through ceremonies, whitewater hikes, youth gatherings and the advice of Indigenous leaders and elders, your support has brought people together to celebrate the beauty of the Tenàgàdino Zibi river and to take our shared responsibility to ensure that this river continues to flow freely and brimming with life for generations to come.

The movement for the rights of nature is gaining momentum all over the world. It recognizes the inherent rights of rivers, forests and ecosystems to exist, thrive and regenerate, and reminds us of our collective duty to protect them. Here in Canada, the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit has played a leading role in this area by recognizing the rights of the Muteshekau-shipu (Magpie River).

Thanks to your support, we were able to strengthen the ties between the leaders behind the Muteshekau-shipu declaration in eastern Quebec and the members of the Tenàgàdino Alliance, thus promoting mutual learning and solidarity. Last summer, a delegate from the Tenàgàdino Alliance visited Mingan to meet with the Innu leaders of Ekuanishit. The meetings were fruitful and the Alliance is planning to organize a visit of an Innu delegation to Kitigan Zibi so that the Innus can share their experience in claiming the rights to the Magpie River.

Your generosity has also helped us to raise awareness about the rights of nature through the Sierra Club Canada’s podcast, The Environment in Canada, and to champion these principles in implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework through education and outreach.

Thank you for supporting River Voices and helping to build a future where the rights of nature are respected, protected and celebrated.