MSLA GRANTS

ABOUT THE MINISTER’S SPECIAL LICENCE (MSL) PROGRAM

The Minister’s Special Licence (MSL) auction permits are a great success story for Alberta, the auctioned permits alone having generated over $7.5 million into supporting the conservation of Alberta’s wildlife resources over their lifetime. Various organizations have dedicated their time and resources to the administration of the special licences over the past 25 years.

The Alberta Professional Outfitters Society (APOS) became the administrator for the auction licences in 2022, with the resident draws remaining under an organization selected by the Minister. (For more on the Alberta resident MSL draws, please visit mywildalberta.ca. The grants issued through the funds generated from the MSL draws are administered by the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA)

MSLA GRANTS

Funds generated through the auctioned special licences are distributed through Minister’s Special Licence Auction (MSLA) Grants, which are reviewed by the multi-stakeholder MSLA Grants Adjudication Committee which includes representatives from the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), Alberta Wildlife Federation (AWF), Alberta Hunter Education Instructors' Association (AHEIA), APOS, Alberta Trappers Association (ATA), Safari Club International (SCI) Canada, Wild Sheep Foundation of Alberta (WSFAB), as well as Indigenous and post-secondary representatives. The Government of Alberta also participates in the adjudication process.

The MSLA Grants Adjudication Committee seeks projects making an important contribution in Alberta to: 

  • Enhancing and sustaining wildlife populations and their habitats,
  • Addressing identified knowledge gaps concerning wildlife populations and their habitats,
  • Generating information that has practical applications for wildlife management, and/or
  • Applying innovative approaches to increase the efficacy of wildlife management.

Additionally, the MSLA Stakeholder Advisory Committee has indicated several focus areas for the 2026-27 funding year:

  • Identifying and enhancing habitat that supports target wildlife.
  • Developing techniques and capacity to assess and manage population size, wildlife demography, and vulnerability to anthropogenic threats.
  • Advancing understanding and prevention of wildlife disease, with a particular interest in M. ovi.

Guidelines with further details on the rubric for review and grantee/project eligibility are available HERE.

Camps, hunter training, and community-oriented projects are no longer eligible under the MSLA. Five percent (5%) of the annual net proceeds of the MSLA are dedicated to the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA)’s Conservation, Community, Education Grants 

2025-26 MSLA GRANT RECIPIENTS (show)

2024-25 MSLA GRANT RECIPIENTS (show)

FORMS

Grant applications for the 2026–27 cycle are now open and will close on January 2, 2026. Both the APPLICATION form and BUDGET form are required as a part of the application.

If you have questions, please call 780-823-0117 or email grants@apos.ab.ca.

© Alberta Professional Outfitters Society