| This purpose of this thesis is to analyse a case of private provision of public goods by non-profit organisations (NPOs), namely the protection of wildlife habitats in Canada. The conservation of wildlife habitats is crucial in order to preserve biological diversity. However, its public good characteristics usually lead to market failure, and government provision is difficult since habitats are most often found on privately-owned land. Since the non-profit sector (NPS) is regarded as more trustworthy by donors and landowners than government, it represents a promising alternative. Evidence suggests that wildlife habitat CNPOs are gaining in importance but available data for Canada are scarce. This thesis provides much-needed data on the size and scope of the NPS, gathered by means of a mail-in survey of CNPOs. Finally, questions relating to the determinants of CNPO creation and development, and the role of government intervention in assisting CNPOs are examined. |
