Environment Protection Office
Oversees environmental protection and enhancement in Kahnawà:ke, Tioweró:ton, and Mohawk Traditional Territory.
450-638-0600
About Us
The Environment Protection Unit (KEPO) is responsible for planning and implementing strategies to protect and enhance the environment. The unit is comprised of two departments: Field Science and Environment Protection. Based on principles derived from traditional knowledge and cultural practices, our work involves designing and completing environmental projects, gathering scientific information and providing scientific recommendations, developing educational tools, ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and providing technical advice on consultations.
Recent News
Newsletter
Stay up-to-date with the latest activities of KEPO by following our newsletter The Buzz At KEPO, click below to check it out!
Services
Environmental Education
The goal is to provide tools and knowledge to Kahnawa'kehró:non to improve their understanding of environmental issues and advocate for environmental protection and sustainable development.
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental monitoring involves collecting scientific data to evaluate the well-being of plants, animals, and habitats to make informed environmental protection decisions. This includes inspecting sites, sampling surface and groundwater, analyzing soil, surveying flora, fauna, and ecological communities, and identifying invasive species.
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system includes computer hardware and software to store, manage, analyze, edit, output, and visualize geographic data.
Inspections & Permits
Participates in site inspections to provide environmental expertise on various issues, including source and receptor site inspections for landfills, ecological concerns, or reports from community members who have witnessed an environmental problem.
Projects
Aquatic Stewardship Program
In 2021, KEPO launched a long-term Aquatic Stewardship Program (ASP) to monitor, conserve, and remediate the aquatic habitats in the territory. We have completed standardized sampling campaigns and ecological surveys that will be repeated/continued for years to come.
Tekakwitha Island and Bay Restoration
KEPO has been planning, researching, building and monitoring a major habitat and community-use restoration project on and around Tekakwitha Island and Bay since 2010, with major construction started in the Fall of 2020.
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
To address climate change and its impacts, the Kahnawà:ke Environment Protection Office (KEPO) developed the Kahnawà:ke Climate Change Plan (KCCP) in 2019 to guide and mobilize the community to reduce our contribution to climate change and improve our adaptive capacity.
