New Study Shows: Ontario's Greenbelt is Good for the Economy
Press Releases | May 15, 2012
For Immediate Release May 15, 2012 Ontario’s Greenbelt is Good for the Economy -New Study Shows Greenbelt Jobs Are Economic Assets- Continue reading
New Position with the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
Greenbelt Stories | May 10, 2012
Project Assistant Position The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation has a 6-month internship available on the communications team on Sign Projects. We invite applications from qualified candidates by Friday, May 25, 2012. Continue reading
The Greenbelt is a great thing for Ontario. It’s a world-leading law that protects 1.8 million acres of prime farmland and green spaces around the Greater Golden Horseshoe. It gives us clean water, healthy local food and $2.6 billion per year in ecological services. Over 90% of Ontarians agree that the Greenbelt is one of the most important contributions to the future of our Province, and 93% strongly support it.
York Region Food Network
Cultural Food Guides for York Region

Grants Made:
$45,000 - October 22, 2009
The Greenbelt Foundation is
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Creating a network of Farmer’s Markets to help improve our local food economy
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Contributing to greater sales of Greenbelt wines at the LCBO
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Bringing thousands of Ontarians out into the Greenbelt each year through grantee activities and the Annual Tour de Greenbelt cycling event
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Identifying barriers to opening markets for Greenbelt farmers and proposing solutions
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Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel schools, City of Toronto, City of Markham and others
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Participating strategically in growing the Greenbelt by working with Toronto, Peel, Halton, and Guelph
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Assisting in designing new policies to protect Lake Simcoe through timely research
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Enhancing Farmers’ Markets, increasing sales for farmers in the Greenbelt and beyond
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Supporting the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance to foster strong Greenbelt Plan implementation at the municipal level
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Funding the Holland Marsh Growers’ transition from an export, commodity focus to one that serves the local market with value- added products
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Funding policy changes to encourage more local food to be sold in Durham
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Funding visionary planning processes such as the new Cootes to Escarpment Park Management Plan, and a massive reforestation plan in Rouge Park
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Supporting development of action plans for a variety of agricultural areas and commodities
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Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic
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Supporting the development of multi-cultural crops and training new Canadian Farmers
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Engaging with over 170 million Ontarians directly through our marketing, events and communications activities
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Contributing $2.65 million to Greenbelt farmers to improve their operations (leveraging millions of dollars from federal sources), and to employ the opportunities of the Green Energy Act
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Supporting the creation of new multi-cultural crops and development of ethnic local food guides in Toronto and York Region
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Increasing amount of Greenbelt food in food share program 140%
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Bridging farming and hiking interests to acknowledge environmental progress by farmers
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Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel, U of T. City of Toronto Facilities and Markham
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Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students
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Partnering with Harbourfront Centre to tell the story of Ontario’s Greenbelt to 12 million people via a year-long, outdoor photography exhibit
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Hosted the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference in Toronto in March 2011 with speakers and delegates from over nine countries
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Supporting the Credit Valley Conservation Authority to protect and restore wetlands
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Creating Greenbeltfresh.ca, the leading electronic marketplace to source local, Greenbelt foods from over 600 producers
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Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara
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Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns
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Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas
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Supporting the creation of an award-winning Greenbelt granola bar
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Reaching over 75 million by placing 220 permanent highway and regional road signs to ensure Ontarians and visitors know about this valuable protected area
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Supporting changing the City of Toronto policy to adopt a local food purchasing bylaw for city facilities
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Providing grants and support to significantly increase sales at farmers’ markets
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Engaged Hamilton schools to switch to Greenbelt food for their students
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Building a local food economy from developing new markets to enhancing distribution channels
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Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter
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Hosting the successful Tour de Greenbelt to promote Ontario’s Greenbelt as a tourism destination
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Funding research and analysis on greenbelts around the globe which concluded that Ontario’s Greenbelt is the most robust in the world, with a strong legal and policy framework
The Greenbelt Blog
Plotting Your Greenbelt Farmers' Market TourMay marks the beginning of the farmers’ market season. Your weekly market starts up, familiar faces reappear, and your neighbourhood is reenergized after the long winter months. To make sure...
Read more from our Blog »Greenbelt on Twitter
Dufferin Wellington Peel: total economic impact of Greenbelt ag, forestry, fishing rec & tourism = +$493M http://t.co/dMqj9cnI @TownofErin about 9 hours ago
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