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Canadian Herpetological Society Société d'Herpétologie du Canada |
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CHS Membership
Become a member of the Canadian Herpetological SocietySign up for CHS membership by filling out and submitting the
CHS membership form. Instructions for submitting the form and paying your membership
dues are provided in the form.
CHS offers a free one-year membership for individuals belonging to traditionally under-represented groups; you can find more information about our EDI Membership Initiative at the bottom of this page.
If you are having trouble with the online registration form or would prefer to submit your registration via e-mail or mail, please request a PDF version of the registration from by e-mailing info@canadianherpetology.ca.
Membership Overview
Memberships are based on the calendar year and expire on December 31. Registering for the annual conference does not automatically make you a member; to become a member you need to submit a CHS membership form or sign up for membership at the annual CHS conference. In order to receive the member’s discount during registration for the annual CHS conference, you need to be a CHS member by June 30th of that year.
Consider signing up for a five-year membership to avoid having to renew your membership each year. Members receive a range of benefits (see below for full list). Members can also actively participate in the Society by attending the AGM business meeting, voting on issues, nominating award recipients and serving on committees.
Members who wish to play a more active role in the society are encouraged to participate on committees. Serving on a committee provides members with an opportunity to assist CHS in coordinating conservation and research initiatives, organizing the AGM or managing various aspects of the society. For a full list of CHS committees and their respective duties, see the Governing Documents and TOR.
Member Benefits
Members of the Canadian Herpetological Society enjoy several benefits, such as:
- Discounted registration at our annual conference
- Eligibility for annual CHS awards and bursaries
- Receive our annual publication The Canadian Herpetologist, featuring articles, field notes, and news about herpetology in Canada
- Access to information and the collective expertise of the CHS membership
- Inclusion on our membership e-mail list, which provides volunteer and job postings, opportunities for collaboration, and news and updates about recent issues in Canadian herpetology
- Participation in the Annual General Meeting and on CHS committees
- Professional society engagement looks great on a CV/resume!
Membership Fees
Membership fees are only $20/year for students and $30/year for non-students, and multi-year memberships are available.
As a registered charity (Charitable Reg. No. 88078-1562-RR0001), you will be issued a tax receipt for your membership fees and for all other donations over $10.00.
Although our Directors volunteer their time and CHS does not have paid staff positions, several of the society's activities have expenses associated with them. Membership fees assist the Canadian Herpetological Society in achieving its mandate by providing funding for:
- The creation, maintenance and updates to the CHS website, which is an important tool for providing information to members and the public about Canada's reptiles and amphibians, their conservation, and herpetology research in Canada
- Student awards and travel scholarships
- Herpetology research and conservation initiatives, such the IMPARA program
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative for Membership
The Canadian Herpetological Society (CHS) is committed to ensuring herpetology in Canada is welcoming to everyone. We are aware that our field does not have an inclusive history, but we are working to change this. We acknowledge that barriers, including systemic discrimination in academia and elsewhere, have prevented equitable access to education, research, and job opportunities in herpetology. The CHS Code of Conduct is a step towards fostering a more inclusive Society for all members. However, we recognize that we have more work to do. As a next step (though not enough on its own), the CHS has decided to cover the cost of a one-year membership for individuals belonging to traditionally under-represented groups Groups traditionally under-represented in the CHS membership include, but are not limited to, herpers identifying as racialized (particularly Black, Indigenous, and other herpers of colour), LGBTQ2S+, disabled, individuals of low economic status, etc. in our Society who choose to receive this support.
This initiative is intended to encourage any interested, traditionally under-represented herpers to join the CHS, which will contribute towards building and supporting a more inclusive membership. This will ensure the Society’s long-term relevance and value to all those interested in reptile and amphibian conservation and research in Canada. Please note that as part of our financial reporting during the annual general meeting, the number of applications received through this initiative will be shared with all CHS members. However, no personal information pertaining to the applicant will be made public. These memberships represent the CHS’ commitment to improving inclusion; once the membership is issued, it will function identically and be otherwise indistinguishable to those purchased by other members.