Tales from Niagara is a blog series focused on the people and places that make Niagara’s Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on Niagara farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in Niagara's Greenbelt. 

Residents in Niagara have the gift giving game wrapped up. Going out for dinner? Bring Niagara wine. Birthday? Give wine. Congratulations in order? Wine. Friend having a rough day? See above. The variety of amazing wine and icewine in the Niagara Greenbelt is so plentiful that you could give wine for every occasion, every year, and never have to repeat yourself. And while not one single person has ever complained about receiving a bottle of VQA gold, there are so many other great gifts to be found in the Niagara Greenbelt, for the holidays, I thought I’d highlight a few.

Tales from Durham is a blog series focused on the people and places that make Durham’s Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on Durham farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in Durham's Greenbelt. 

It's winter in the Greenbelt and the holidays are fast-approaching - time to plan your Greenbelt winter adventure. With craft expos, Santa Claus Parades, and the natural beauty of the Greenbelt, there's so many ways to enjoy the wintery months ahead!

Tales from York is a blog series focused on the people and places that make York's Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on York farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in York's Greenbelt. 

The festive season is approaching and the Greenbelt is getting lit up with holiday cheer! It’s the time of year to cozy up with a warm beverage and enjoy the local celebrations in your town! In York Region you don’t have to travel too far to find the holiday magic. There are great events and fun winter recreational activities to get you in the holiday mood right in the Greenbelt!

See the list below for some great ideas and make it a Greenbelt Holiday!

"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera."
– Dorothea Lange

On November 15, 2015, we had the pleasure of announcing the 20 winners of the Greenbelt’s 10th Anniversary Photo Contest. You can see all the winning photos here but I encourage everyone to visit the McMichael Canadian Art Collection to see them in person, framed and hanging in the gallery.

The photos are on display until March 2016.

The exhibition would not have been possible without the support of our partners at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Professional Photographers of Canada – Ontario (PPOC-ON).

The McMichael's Anna Stanisz, Associate Director, Creative Learning & Programs, and Rachel D'Oliveira, Art and Special Programs Coordinator, found us a home in the gallery. PPOC-ON, provided a team of master photographers and judges--including Kamini Le Capelain, Deb Deville, Brad Kelly and lead judge Jay Terry--who deliberated for hours over the final selections.

Grantee Spotlight is a blog series highlighting the experiences and successes of the Foundation’s grantees, as they work with communities and other Greenbelt partners to keep our province’s farmlands, forests, and wetlands safe and sustainable for future generations.

It’s our Greenbelt too!
Youth speak out about the future of our Greenbelt

Guest post from Julia Martini, Environmental Education Coordinator, EcoSpark

The first round of public consultations for the 2015 Coordinated Review may be over, but we were reminded that we haven’t yet heard from everyone.

On November 5th 2015, 150 students, teachers, scouts, local organizations and community members joined EcoSpark and Dunbarton High School in Pickering for a memorable student-led Greenbelt community forum. The night may have been about the Greenbelt, but the spotlight was on youth!

The Greenbelt forum provided youth with the much-needed opportunity to share their ideas, information and experiences on this beautiful and important landscape. Youth reminded us that they are the future voters and stewards of the environment and they had a lot to say to those making the decisions about the future of the Greenbelt.

Tales from Niagara is a blog series focused on the people and places that make Niagara’s Greenbelt great. The series will cover everything from local businesses, to seasonal events, to life on Niagara farms. Look out for our upcoming posts to stay up-to-date and informed on exciting going-ons in Niagara's Greenbelt. 

My Dad has been a Budweiser guy for as long as I’ve known him. Growing up, we ate spaghetti and meatballs, chicken, potatoes, soup and sandwiches – on white bread. It’s not that we weren’t open to new food and drink, but hey, if it ain’t broke, then why fix it?  

That’s why, when my sixty-something year old father told me he had a new favourite craft beer, I knew it must be something special. 

To find said craft beer, we took a drive into the Greenbelt, to an old church near Niagara-On-The-Lake. Silversmith Brewing Company sits on the main stretch in downtown Virgil, population 2,325. Tucked in tight, and covered in greenery, it could be an easy place to miss. A small town secret. It was just before noon, and we were early for our 12:45 tour. I thought I’d have some time to snap a few pictures before the other tour-goers showed.  We opened the grand wooden church doors and, well, small town secret it was not. The place was packed. Like Saturday night pub kind of packed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2015 

WINNERS OF GREENBELT’S 10^th ANNIVERSARY PHOTO CONTEST ANNOUNCED
Over 800 Submissions Received, 20 Winning Photos to be Showcased at McMichael Gallery

Today, the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, the Professional Photographers of Canada – Ontario (PPOC-ON), and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection announced the 20 winners of the photo contest celebrating 10 years of Ontario’s nearly 2 million acres of permanently protected Greenbelt.

Judged by a jury of professional photographers and creative employees from the three organizations, the winning photographs will be showcased at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg starting Sunday, November 15 until spring 2016. Two people’s choice winners were also chosen based on an online vote. The categories and winning photographers are:

• Overall Winner and Best Wildlife: Mark Williams (Hamilton)
• People’s Choice, Agriculture and Landscape: Warren Martil (Newmarket)
• People’s Choice, Water and Wildlife: Jack Starret (Collingwood)
• Best Agriculture: Vartkes Peltekoglu (Vineland)
• Best People in Nature: Kevin Walsh (Orangeville)
• Best Water: Michael Manett (Thornhill)

• Other Winners, No Specific Category: Tanya Biglieri (Cambridge), Lou Cabiago (Milton), Maria Drazilov (Toronto), George Gardiner (Toronto), Kate Goodale (King City), Alexander Harras (Richmond Hill), Christine Hogenkamp (Richmond Hill), Michael Manett (Thornhill), Jason Milligan (two submissions 1 and 2, Toronto), Jamie Reaume (Milton), Jeremy Slaven (Aurora), Dianne Soehner (Brooklin), and Lorne Stobbs (St. Catharines)

Guest speakers alongside former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. L-R: Foundation Chair and Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP Partner Rod Northey; Broadbent Institute Executive Director Rick Smith; Former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty; Foundation CEO Burkhard Mausberg; and Former Mayor of Mississauga Hazel McCallion. 

Regardless of where you live in Ontario, you will likely have a strong opinion about Dalton McGuinty's time as Premier. His departure from politics wasn’t entirely smooth. But headlines notwithstanding, Mr. McGuinty has been called "Canada’s greenest premier ever." This is no small part due to his study of biology as an undergraduate student, and with that his understanding of ecosystems and commitment to environmental protection. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2015 

GREENBELT FOUNDATION HONOURS FORMER PREMIER DALTON MCGUINTY
Award Recognizes McGuinty for Bold Vision in Creating Greenbelt 

This evening, the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation announced former Premier Dalton McGuinty as the 2015 winner of the Friend of the Greenbelt Award.

"I consider it a great honour to receive the Friend of the Greenbelt Award. I dedicate my award to all those Ontarians who helped me make our Greenbelt a reality, and to all those who are firmly committed to its permanent protection,” said Mr. McGuinty upon receiving the award.

"I consider it a great honour to receive the Friend of the Greenbelt Award. I dedicate my award to all those Ontarians who helped me make our Greenbelt a reality, and to all those who are firmly committed to its permanent protection,”  - Mr. McGuinty upon receiving the award.

Ending an era of uncontrolled urban sprawl in an area larger than Prince Edward Island, Mr. McGuinty was one of the most important champions and architects of Ontario’s Greenbelt. In 2005, with the former Premier at the helm, the Ontario government created the world’s largest permanently protected Greenbelt—keeping the province’s farmlands, forests, and wetlands safe and sustainable for our children’s children.

The Greenbelt, supported by nine out ten Ontarians, is consistently the province’s most popular environmental initiative according to public polling. The creation of the Greenbelt, along with other policies, such as fully eliminating coal as a source of electricity generation, has seen other organizations, like the Sierra Club, recognize Mr. McGuinty for his contributions to combatting climate change.

 
Given that this year was the Greenbelt’s 10^th anniversary, this was an especially important Annual Report for us, because we had the opportunity to focus on what we've accomplished over the last decade. We also recognized what the Greenbelt Fund has achieved over the last five years in seeking to create sustained and systemic change to the food system.