Peter Orphanos, former Chair of Sierra Club for Peel Region, has passed away. Peter’s many achievements include helping to grow Ontario’s Greenbelt, as well as preserving the Credit River Valley Watershed. The Greenbelt has lost a good friend and Ontario, a champion of many significant environmental causes.

Christmas is just around the corner! With this in mind, staff at the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation compiled some festive fun happening around Ontario's Greenbelt. Take your family on a twelve days of Greenbelt tour! Make your holiday memories all Greenbelt grown!

Greenbelt Cylcing Route

The project connects visitors and residents to Ontario's Greenbelt through a continuous 600km cycling route that traverses seven Greenbelt regions from Northumberland to Niagara. The Route is intended for recreational cyclists and will encourage exploration of Greenbelt attractions, including nature, farms and rural towns. Partnerships with municipalities will ensure permanent maintenance, signage and marketing of the route. Other partnerships include local tourism operators and accommodation and restaurant spots through the Welcome Cyclist Network. The project has economic outcomes, as was demonstrated in 2007 when 1.5 million Canadian visitors spent $303 million on cycle tourism in Ontario.

Community Conservation and Stewardship Plan

The grant helps strengthen the protection of the Northern Bruce Peninsula’s natural landscape by developing and championing a community conservation and stewardship plan. The plan will achieve measureable improvements to the ecological integrity of the area, enhance the capacity of community members to be more active stewards of the landscape, and deepen community connections with the Greenbelt.

Roots of the Greenblet, Phase II

The project raises awareness of, and support for natural heritage system planning in the region, enabling stronger connections with natural heritage inside and outside the Greenbelt. The project works closely with municipal planners, conservation groups and ENGOs and encourages protection in areas facing future development (e.g. Whitebelt, Simcoe County).  Major activities include: 1) identification and documentation of leading-edge practices and the conditions under which these approaches were possible; and 2) the development and dissemination of a best practices guide to natural heritage system planning.

Farming Power-Green Energy Innovation in the Greenbelt

The project involves a cost-share program to support Greenbelt farmers in adopting energy efficiency Best Management Practices. The program is an evolution of the Environmental Farm Plan, utilizing a cost-benefit analysis that rewards projects that achieve the greatest energy efficiency targets for the best price. Approximately 30 farm businesses will benefit directly from the program. Farmers will be recognized for their achievements and participation in this new program through an award ceremony.

The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is proud to share that starting this week, the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is hosting a series of public consultations sessions on growing the Greenbelt.  The potential expansion includes the Glenorchy lands in Oakville and the addition of the Urban River Valley designation. 

Engaging Communities on Urban River Valley Amendment

With this grant Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) engages communities on proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Plan that will add provincially owned lands in Oakville and a new Urban River Valley designation.

Photo published with permission and (C) Conservation Halton 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 20, 2012

Statement from Burkhard Mausberg on the announcement of growing the Greenbelt 

Today, Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation released the following statement on the Ontario Government announcement to grow the Greenbelt:

Farmers’ market voucher programs are popping up across North America as a means to connect low-income people with nutritious, local food, while at the same time supporting small-scale producers. While market voucher programs have commendable goals, there are still many questions that need to be addressed regarding the opportunities, barriers and viability of these programs in Ontario.