Amrize Canada Inc., receives 2025 Snakes on a Plain Stewardship Award

MEDICINE HAT — Amrize Canada’s Medicine Hat, Alberta location has been named the recipient of the 2025 Snakes on a Plain Stewardship Award, recognizing the site’s exemplary commitment to wildlife stewardship and coexistence with native snake species.

The award honours Amrize Canada for its year-long collaborative effort to safely manage a population of bull snakes that had established a seasonal basking site within an active work area. Rather than removing or harming the snakes, the site worked closely with Snakes on a Plain to implement a multi-phased, science-based solution.

Plant manager Justin Irving (left) accepts the stewardship award on behalf of Amrize Canada from Snakes on a Plain owner Sheri Monk.

A bull snake basks in the crevice of a concrete block at the Medicine Hat Amrize Canada site.

The stewardship approach included the safe relocation of snakes, the construction of a new, purpose-built basking habitat, and gradual modification of the original site to make it less attractive for snake use. This deliberate process ensured the snakes could transition naturally without stress or mortality, while allowing operations to continue safely.

“This project is a textbook example of what good stewardship looks like in an industrial setting,” said Sheri Monk, founder of Snakes on a Plain. “It took patience, planning, and a willingness to learn. Amrize Canada’s Medicine Hat staff didn’t just solve a short-term issue — they invested in a long-term coexistence strategy that benefits both people and wildlife.”

As part of the initiative, Amrize Canada employees also received snake conservation education delivered by Snakes on a Plain, improving on-site awareness, safety, and understanding of Alberta’s native snakes and their ecological role.

The Snakes on a Plain Stewardship Award was launched in 2025 to recognize agricultural producers, landowners, and industry partners in Alberta and Saskatchewan who demonstrate leadership in native snake conservation. The award celebrates a balanced approach to land use — one that values biodiversity alongside operational and economic realities.

Amrize Canada was selected as the inaugural recipient for its proactive mindset, commitment to habitat stewardship, and willingness to adopt a whole-system approach to wildlife management.

“This award shows that conservation and industry are not opposing forces,” Monk added. “With the right approach, they can — and should — work together.”

For more information about the Snakes on a Plain Stewardship Award or snake conservation initiatives, visit Snakes on a Plain on Facebook or contact sherimonk@gmail.com.