Montrealer spends decades buying entire island to donate it to Nature Conservancy of Canada
Andrew Howick has been busy over the last few decades buying property on Molson Island in Lac Memphrémagog in the hopes of protecting it from development.
Now, he's donating all 26 hectares -- about the same as 24 soccer fields -- to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).
"I was very anxious to make a gesture for conservation and for climate change and something that my children and grandchildren would be proud of," he said.
The Stanstead resident says he had the possibility of selling the land, but was worried about what the future owner might do.
"I had some sleepless nights worrying about it," confessed the businessman, adding he's passionate about nature.
Howick's donation is part of the Government of Canada's Ecological Gifts Program, which provides tax benefits to individuals and corporations who donate ecologically sensitive land for conservation.
"Thanks to his generosity, Molson Island will remain protected from development and its biodiversity will continue to thrive," said Jensen Edwards, spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
The forested island boasts a variety of habitats, from rocky areas to riparian zones and a forested bog with a bed of moss.
“The Northern Green Mountains are one of the last remaining areas in southern Quebec where large tracts of wilderness are still relatively undisturbed," said Cynthia Patry, biologist and project manager for the Northern Green Mountains at the Nature Conservancy of Canada in Quebec.
According to the NCC, these natural spaces are vital for the protection of threatened or vulnerable plants in Quebec and Canada.
“Environments like Molson Island are becoming increasingly rare in Quebec," notes Environment Minister Benoit Charette. "I am pleased that Mr. Howick, a private landowner, sees the urgency of taking action to protect his island and is turning to NCC to help him in his efforts."
Andrew Howick has donated Molson Island to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in the hopes of protecting it from development. (Nature Conservancy of Canada/Handout)
Andrew Howick has donated Molson Island to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in the hopes of protecting it from development. (Nature Conservancy of Canada/Handout)
HOW IT STARTED
Howick says he and his family have admired Molson Island from their cottage since the 1980s.
"When Howick and six of his neighbours learned in the early 1990s that the island was being eyed for development, they decided they had to do something about it," the Nature Conservancy of Canada notes. "They rolled up their sleeves to contact the descendants of the Molson family and bought all the shares of the island from them."
Over time, Howick purchased the stocks from his neighbours and eventually became the sole owner.
"I hope that this gesture might serve as inspiration for people to give," Howick said. "If they have time to give, to volunteer, if they have a few dollars, to donate, or if they have a property, whatever is within their means."
WATCH Andrew Howick explains why he donated Molson Island to the NCC
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
For the first time in report's history, Canada's air quality worse than U.S.
Air quality in Canada is now worse than in the U.S., according to the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report. Of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries, 14 were in Canada.
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
WATCH LIVE As former prime minister Mulroney lies in state, public tributes in Ottawa begin
Members of the public who wish to pay tribute to Brian Mulroney can visit his casket in Ottawa starting this afternoon.
BREAKING Roy McMurtry, former Ontario attorney general, dies at 91
CTV News has confirmed that former Ontario attorney general Roy McMurtry has died.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Images taken deep inside melted Fukushima reactor show damage, but leave many questions unanswered
Images taken by miniature drones from deep inside a badly damaged reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant show displaced control equipment and misshapen materials but leave many questions unanswered, underscoring the daunting task of decommissioning the plant.
DEVELOPING February inflation rate slows to 2.8% as price growth unexpectedly eases
Canada's annual inflation rate unexpectedly fell to 2.8 per cent last month, amid sharp declines in cellular and internet services as well as slower grocery price growth.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.