FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 16, 2018

WINNERS OF SECOND GREENBELT PHOTO CONTEST ON DISPLAY AT GRIMSBY ART GALLERY

20 Winning Photos showcased at Grimsby Public Art Gallery as last stop on

Photo Tour

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation has partnered with the Professional Photographers of Canada – Ontario, and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection to celebrate the natural beauty of water in the Greenbelt in the second Greenbelt Photography Contest. The winning photos are now touring the Greenbelt, showcasing water in all its forms.

 Community Action, Climate Change, and Soil Health in the Greenbelt:

Building soil carbon helps mitigate climate change by taking carbon out of the atmosphere in the form of organic matter, and sequestering it in the soil. Soils with higher levels of organic carbon are also more resilient to climate change.

Earlier this year we commissioned a feasibility study of a potential multi-year project designed to measure and build soil carbon through innovative management practices around the Town of Erin. The feasibility study allowed the project team to assess interest and willingness to participate among local farmers and community groups by holding workshops and through targeted outreach. These activities demonstrated strong local enthusiasm and potential for the full pilot to go ahead.

Under this project proposal, local community groups concerned about climate change will support farmers in their efforts and contribute to the measurement stage through a citizen science process.

 Greenbelt Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Working Paper

We recently investigated if it would be possible to put together a greenhouse inventory for the Greenbelt. Our report is unique in that it considers land-use emissions from agricultural practices and natural systems alongside traditional emission sectors. While there were some high level estimates and gaps in our analysis, our best net emissions estimate for the Greenbelt  is about 4.35 MtCO₂e / year, or 2.5% of Ontario's total. In contrast, the Greenbelt's natural assets store 261 MtCO₂e. This significant difference between what the Greenbelt stores and what is emitted emphasizes the critical need to protect carbon sinks, such as farmland and forests as they play an important role in combating climate change.

Simcoe Country Greenbelt Coalition 
Midhurst Rate Payers' Association
$10,000  (1 year)
simcoecountygreenbelt.ca

The Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition will educate residents and stakeholders about threats to water and the benefits of the Greenbelt and smart growth.

Protecting Farmland in Brant County
Langford Conservancy
$2,000  (1 year)
lconserv.org

This project supports local efforts to protect farmland in Brant County and raise awareness about the Greenbelt.

Greenbelt Farmers' Market Network 2016
FoodShare
$73,082  (1 year)
foodshare.net

The Greenbelt Farmers' Market Network will continue to make it easier for Ontarians to buy locally grown food, by supporting innovation among market vendors and increasing sales and attendance through loyalty programs and other measures.

Protecting the Green, Supporting Smart Growth
Environmental Defence
$400,000  (2 year)
environmentaldefence.ca

This project will protect and grow the Greenbelt by building capacity of the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, promoting smart growth, and helping to reform the Ontario Municipal Board.

Stronger Landscape, Stronger Laws, Stronger Legacy II
EcoSpark
$100,000  (1 year)
ecospark.ca
Earthroots.ca
ontarionature.org
stormcoalition.org

The Oak Ridges Moraine Partnership (EcoSpark, Earthroots, Ontario Nature, and Save The Oak Ridges Moraine) will work to protect and grow the Greenbelt during the Coordinated Land Use Planning Review, and provide input into the development of a regional natural heritage system.

Code Red - Tackling the GTA's Affordability Crisis
Association for Generational Equity
$40,000  (1 year)
gensqueeze.ca

This project will help to protect the Greenbelt from urban sprawl by launching Generation Squeeze's 'Code Red' campaign, which aims to promote measures to tackle housing affordability and promote complete communities in the GTA.