As steering committee members of AHC’s Policy and Program Working Group, 5SSR staff reviewed existing regulations and non-regulatory instruments governing aquatic habitat restoration to provide input on their effectiveness, limitations and to identify potential regulatory gaps. The purpose of this review was to prepare recommendations on regulatory and non-regulatory instruments governing freshwater, marine, and coastal habitat restoration. The recommendations arising from this report were provided to AHC partners and to DFO. AHC brought together a working group of subject matter experts from across the country to participate in this initiative. As part of this project, 5SSR staff engaged external stakeholders and rights holders from industry, conservation groups, Indigenous communities, academia, and other organizations. The intent of this project is to help guide activities to conserve and restore aquatic habitat in Canada, as well as to inform the development and implementation of various tools under the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Provisions of the amended Fisheries Act.