Ethos Enviro - Background

our Story

The founder and principal consultant of Ethos Enviro, Michael Shorter, is an experienced environmental consultant and ecologist with a deep appreciation for Canada’s natural landscapes. His career has been shaped by a lifetime spent working and exploring in forests, grasslands, and wilderness areas across the country. From guiding in remote regions to conducting tree planting and biophysical assessments, Michael’s passion for understanding natural systems and promoting sustainable practices is at the heart of Ethos Enviro’s mission.

Takakkaw Falls as it pours down the rugged rocky mountains

Who we Work with

Whether you’re working on land development, transportation infrastructure, energy projects, agrivoltaics, or resource management, Ethos brings practical, sustainable, and developer-focused solutions to ensure your project progresses efficiently while meeting all environmental requirements. The Ethos approach balances regulatory compliance, ecological integrity, and project feasibility, helping you achieve sustainability goals without unnecessary roadblocks.

aerial view of a winding river through a dense forest in a mountainous area, with a small parking area and buildings visible in the upper right corner

Professonial context

Ethos combines real-world experience with expertise in consulting — in the field by planting nearly 800,000 trees or in the office by attaining regulatory approvals and data analysis. Ethos supports developers whose projects impact the environment to mitigate their impact and meet regulatory demands wherever their development is planned.

Two people standing in a small boat on a lakeshore, surrounded by trees and tall grasses.

Skillset

Ethos Enviros expertise spans municipal, provincial, and federal regulatory requirements, including numerous municipal land use bylaws, Alberta’s Wildlife Act and Wetland Policy, and the federal Species at Risk Act. Ethos conducts biophysical and environmental assessments that translate complex ecological data into a deliverable that meets regulatory requirements. With specialized knowledge in wildlife, wetlands, and contamination, Ethos can assist developers in all sectors.

Commitment to safety

A bear and a wolf touching noses in a snowy forest with evergreen trees.

Safety Mission

Ethos recognizes the hazards inherent to working in the wilderness and considers safety the utmost priority while in the field. The Ethos approach emphasizes safety followed closely by quality and production. There is no job worth doing if it cannot be done safely. Our hazard identification and mitigation process is collaborative in nature and communicated to all project team members before starting field work.

Certifications

  • Wilderness First Aid

  • Bear Awareness

  • ATV and UTV Certified

  • Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

  • Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG)

  • WCB Registered

A landscape view of a mountain range with a winding river in the valley, under a partly cloudy sky with the sun shining through the clouds.

Professional Designations

  • Member of Alberta Society of Professional Biologists, Professional Biologist (P.Biol)

  • Member of B.C. College of Applied Biology, Registered Professional Biologist (R.P. Bio)

  • Authenticating Wetland Professional under the Alberta Wetland Policy (A.W.P)


Contact Us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly.

Sunlit mountain landscape with a clear sky, forested hills, and a winding road.