Safeguarding Water Resources

As one of the most biologically rich areas in all of Canada, the Greenbelt receives 6.5 trillion litres of water a year.

With 7 million Ontarians depending on the Oak Ridges Moraine for clean water alone, together with the Niagara Escarpment, they filter and replenish groundwater and feed into the many river systems that flow through Canada’s most developed region. The Greenbelt’s 33 Urban River Valleys and associated coastal wetlands connect the suburban and rural lands to Lake Ontario, which safeguards the vital resources that we rely on for clean drinking water, flood protection, and healthy ecosystems.

The Greenbelt Foundation is working to safeguard our water resources by:

Supporting the development of educational resources focused on protecting the Greenbelt’s water systems.
Supporting the Oak Ridges Moraine Groundwater Program to collect and distribute data to municipalities and conservation authorities to inform land development decisions that can affect water flow and quality.