Economy

The building and strengthening of our local economy, from food to tourism to nurturing a working landscape that sustains jobs is a vital part of creating a strong and successful Greenbelt, and thus a healthy and prosperous Ontario. The Foundation has invested significantly in our local economy including:

  • Investing millions of dollars in building a local food economy from developing new markets to enhancing distribution channels
  • Creating Greenbeltfresh.ca, the leading electronic marketplace to find local, Greenbelt foods from over 600 producers
  • Funding the Holland Marsh Growers’ transition from an export, commodity focus to one that serves the local market with value- added products
  • Enhancing Farmers’ Markets, increasing sales for farmers in the Greenbelt and beyond
  • Supporting development of action plans for a variety of agricultural areas and commodities
  • Hosting the successful Tour de Greenbelt to promote Ontario’s Greenbelt as a tourism destination
  • Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas
  • Identifying barriers to opening markets for Greenbelt farmers and proposing solutions
  • Reaching over 75 million through 220 highway and regional road signs and 12 million via the Harbourfront Greenbelt photography exhibit

 

It’s less expensive to preserve the natural environment and the benefits it provides us, than to replace it with man-made infrastructure.

 

The David Suzuki Foundation Report

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New Study Shows: Ontario's Greenbelt is Good for the Economy

Economy  |  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

 

Romancing in the Greenbelt

Economy  |  February 10, 2012

Ontario's Greenbelt stretches across 1.8 million acres and offers many options for romantic getaways. From enchanting winery experiences along the Niagara Escarpment, to the exploration of Rouge Park in Markham, one can find the romance in the nature all around the Greater Golden Horseshoe area. It is all about the birds and the bees after all, isn't it?  As many people are... Continue reading

 

Issue Fact Sheet

 

Download a copy of our Economy Fact Sheet (PDF)

Ontario’s Greenbelt is the largest and most diverse greenbelt in the world. It protects 1.8 million acres of green space, prime agricultural lands and rural communities.

 
 

Featured Grants

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Wabash Building Society

Sorauren Farmers’ Market

A new farmers’ market at Sorauren Park in Toronto’s Roncesvalles and Parkdale neighbourhoods draws Greenbelt farmers to market and showcases locally-grown ethno-cultural crops to residents of this diverse community. Continue reading

Grants Made:

$10,000 - April 18, 2008

 

The Greenbelt Foundation is

  • Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic

  • Identifying barriers to opening markets for Greenbelt farmers and proposing solutions

  • Increasing amount of Greenbelt food in food share program 140%

  • Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara

  • Funding policy changes to encourage more local food to be sold in Durham

  • Participating strategically in growing the Greenbelt by working with Toronto, Peel, Halton, and Guelph

  • Supporting development of action plans for a variety of agricultural areas and commodities

  • Supporting the development of multi-cultural crops and training new Canadian Farmers

  • Supporting the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance to foster strong Greenbelt Plan implementation at the municipal level

  • Partnering with Harbourfront Centre to tell the story of Ontario’s Greenbelt to 12 million people via a year-long, outdoor photography exhibit

  • Hosted the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference in Toronto in March 2011 with speakers and delegates from over nine countries

  • Providing grants and support to significantly increase sales at farmers’ markets

  • Bridging farming and hiking interests to acknowledge environmental progress by farmers

  • Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel schools, City of Toronto, City of Markham and others

  • Funding the Holland Marsh Growers’ transition from an export, commodity focus to one that serves the local market with value- added products

  • Supporting changing the City of Toronto policy to adopt a local food purchasing bylaw for city facilities

  • Contributing to greater sales of Greenbelt wines at the LCBO

  • Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter

  • Enhancing Farmers’ Markets, increasing sales for farmers in the Greenbelt and beyond

  • Hosting the successful Tour de Greenbelt to promote Ontario’s Greenbelt as a tourism destination

  • Supporting the creation of an award-winning Greenbelt granola bar

  • Funding visionary planning processes such as the new Cootes to Escarpment Park Management Plan, and a massive reforestation plan in Rouge Park

  • Building a local food economy from developing new markets to enhancing distribution channels

  • Supporting the Credit Valley Conservation Authority to protect and restore wetlands

  • Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns

  • 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

  • Engaged Hamilton schools to switch to Greenbelt food for their students

  • Assisting in designing new policies to protect Lake Simcoe through timely research

  • Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students

  • Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas

  • Engaging with over 170 million Ontarians directly through our marketing, events and communications activities

  • Bringing thousands of Ontarians out into the Greenbelt each year through grantee activities and the Annual Tour de Greenbelt cycling event

  • Creating Greenbeltfresh.ca, the leading electronic marketplace to source local, Greenbelt foods from over 600 producers

  • Supporting the creation of new multi-cultural crops and development of ethnic local food guides in Toronto and York Region

  • 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

  • Securing local food procurement commitments for Peel, U of T. City of Toronto Facilities and Markham

  • Reaching over 75 million by placing 220 permanent highway and regional road signs to ensure Ontarians and visitors know about this valuable protected area

  • Creating a network of Farmer’s Markets to help improve our local food economy

 
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