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Greenbelt Stories

Romancing in the Greenbelt

Greenbelt Stories  |  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

 

Not Just a Swamp

Greenbelt Stories  |  February 2, 2012

Today, environmental and conservation organizations are celebrating World Wetlands. Each year, groups from across the globe educate people on the importance of wetland protection. Coinciding with World Wetlands Day this year is the release of a new report from Foundation grantees: Ducks Unlimited, Ontario Nature, Ecojustice, and Earth Roots. The report... Continue reading

 

Greenbelt drives economic opportunity, study says

Greenbelt Stories  |  January 12, 2012

Innovative planning aids advancement of food, farming and environment By Lilian Schaer It might be hard to find a bigger advocate for Niagara Region than Patrick Robson. Ask him about the opportunities for food, farming and culture in the area and the region’s head of planning quickly lists half a dozen initiatives that are helping to rejuvenate Niagara’s economy as it transitions away from... Continue reading

 

Grant Highlight: New Farmers to Grow, New Places to Go

Greenbelt Stories  |  January 4, 2012

$400,000 grant over three yearsApproximately half of all newcomers to Canada settle in the Golden Horseshoe, bringing with them their skills, energy, cultures and often, farming experience. The University of Guelph’s Centre for Land and Water Stewardship, in partnership with FarmStart, supports new farmers in the Greenbelt by offering multiple tours of the regions, successfully planting... Continue reading

 

Three favourite picks from the Greenbelt Holiday Gift Guide

Greenbelt Stories  |  December 16, 2011

Researching for our Greenbelt Holiday Gift Guide confirmed one thing for us: there is so much to see and do in the Greenbelt, our Gift Guide could be a mile long (or 1.8 million acres wide.) We chose to highlight a range of products and activities that represent the diversity of this broad region. Here are three of our favourites: Continue reading

 

Gifts of Giving

Greenbelt Stories  |  December 14, 2011

People say there are two types of givers: those that buy presents that people need, and those that buy things that people want. We'd like to challenge this categorization and say that there are actually three categories of gift-givers. The third category is those that buy things that can bring social change, enhance our environments, or help other succeed in the good work that they do. Gifts of... Continue reading

 

Highlighting Grants and Grantees Through The Years: Ecojustice - 2009

Greenbelt Stories  |  December 13, 2011

Ecojustice The Foundation has assisted many innovative grantees over the years through our grants program. Over the next couple of months, we will be featuring grants past and present on our homepage to highlight the great work of many organizations across the Greenbelt.  Continue reading

 

Urban Sprawl: What are the real costs?

Greenbelt Stories  |  December 6, 2011

With snowy winter weather approaching, those that commute may feel the effects of the trip to work more than in the milder months. However, the effects on our commuter population is much more than a longer drive time. Continue reading

 

Climate Change & Ontario's Greenbelt

Greenbelt Stories  |  December 2, 2011

Global Day of Action on Climate Change is upon us. On Saturday December 3, 2011, United Nations leaders will meet in Durban, South Africa to discuss the impacts and find solutions to climate change on a global scale.  Continue reading

 

New "Foundation" for the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation

Greenbelt Stories  |  November 21, 2011

We are moving to a new office space at the end of this week, however we will be back in action very soon. From Friday November 25th - Wednesday November 30th we will not be available at our usual phone extentions, but our phone number will remain the same. If you need to get a hold of someone at the Foundation, please use email or call: 416-960-0001 and leave a message - we will be... Continue reading

 

 

The Greenbelt Foundation is

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

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

  • Supporting food policy council in Durham to create food charter

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

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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

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

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

  • Supporting interested Greenbelt Farmers to Go Organic

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

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

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

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

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

  • Developing a successful culinary tourism platform for Niagara

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

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

  • Convincing Peel school boards to buy Greenbelt food for students

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

  • Successfully merging social welfare initiatives with environmental concerns

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

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

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

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

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

  • Supporting tourism initiatives including in the Niagara and Caledon areas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 
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The Greenbelt Blog

Romancing in the Greenbelt

Ontario’s Greenbelt stretches across 1.8 million acres and offers many options for romantic getaways. We’ve selected a few of our favourites that suit any budget. Share the beauty and nature...

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