About 63 conservation projects across southern Ontario will benefit from $9 million in funding from the federal government.
The funding, announced July 28 by Seniors Minister and King-Vaughan MP Deb Schulte at Rogers Reservoir, will go to Conservation Ontario over the next three years to help conserve lands across the southern part of the province, according to a federal government news release.
The Conservation Ontario projects will be carried out by local conservation authorities, including Newmarket-based Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA).
“Embracing the power of nature has many benefits; for climate change, our economy and for the health and well-being of people. To take care of ourselves, we must take care of nature,” Schulte said. “With the funding announced today, our government is taking action to conserve Ontario wetlands and grasslands so that we not only preserve nature today, but that our children, grandchildren and future generations will be able to enjoy the outdoors too.”
LSRCA hopes to use the funding to support an ongoing meadow restoration project on a piece of land beside Rogers Reservoir that was given to them by the Town of East Gwillimbury in 2014.
"Because the newly acquired parcel’s previous use was agricultural, there wasn’t much biodiversity and very little native plants. Over the last few years, we’ve been removing the non-natives and invasives and seeding the site with native plants and grasses," Sue Jagminas, senior communications advisor at the conservation authority, said.
"East Gwillimbury is a growing area, so having more natural spaces like this that support nature and make healthy greenspaces available for us is critical to the region's sustainable growth."
She said meadows are an excellent habitat for a number of species, especially pollinators and some birds that will only nest in meadows. They also store a lot of carbon, helping to reduce the effects of climate change.
"We are all feeling those effects on a regular basis, so it’s great to have the support of the federal government to help address them using nature-based solutions," Jagminas said.
Across the province, other projects undertaken with this funding will include restoration and conservation of grasslands, wetlands, and riparian areas between land and rivers. There will also be a focus on enhanced land management to increase the capture and storage of carbon.
Conservation Ontario said the projects will also involve biodiversity conservation by protecting and restoring habitats for at-risk species, migratory birds and other wildlife, improved livestock health, improved flood control, and better access to nature areas for hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities.
Newmarket-Aurora MP Tony Van Bynen was on hand for the announcement at the reservoir just north of Newmarket.
“I am proud of the steps the Government of Canada is taking to protect Ontario’s ecosystems. With this investment, conservation authorities will be able to implement nature-based projects that will ensure positive outcomes for our environment and Canada’s future,” Van Bynen said. “This is a great example of how we are working to engage with local communities as part of our plan to get Canada to a nature-positive, carbon-neutral future.”
The $9 million investment will help the federal government fulfill its overall environmental goals of protecting 25 per cent of lands and 25 per cent of oceans by 2025 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030.
