Ontario Investing in Wetlands Restoration in Burlington

Burlington — The Ontario government is investing up to $6.9 million in 100 local conservation projects to restore and enhance wetlands across the province, including three projects in Burlington. This funding will help conservation partners restore local wetlands, which will improve water quality, help prevent flooding and build climate change resiliency.

“We’re very proud of these historic investments and to be working with conservation organizations and municipalities to restore and enhance the health of wetlands in Ontario,” said David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “We will continue to support more wetlands projects to ensure vital ecosystems in the province are protected, now and in the future.”

The Wetlands Conservation Partner Program represents one of the largest investments in wetland restoration in Ontario’s history. The five-year, $30-million program supports a wide range of projects, restoring and enhancing large-scale wetlands, smaller wetlands on marginal agricultural lands, and wetlands in more urban areas as part of municipal stormwater management.

Local wetland restoration and enhancement projects include:

• Royal Botanical Gardens – In the Lake Ontario watershed, 3 wetland enhancement projects including Rock Chapel and two coastal wetlands (Cootes Paradise and Grindstone Marsh) to enhance wetland habitat and connectivity, manage invasive species and improve resiliency to climate change impacts of extreme lake water levels.

“The Royal Botanical Gardens are a cornerstone in Burlington providing an opportunity to explore diverse ecosystems, visit beautiful gardens and learn about the importance of environmental conservation, “said Natalie Pierre, MPP Burlington. “This investment will support local projects that are vital for the long-term health and sustainability of natural ecosystems in our community.”

Ontario will also support new projects with the remaining funding under the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program with a new call for applications this year. The government will begin accepting applications between August 8

QUICK FACTS

• Since the program was launched in 2020, $20 million has been invested in over 330 wetland projects, restoring, and enhancing approximately 7,200 acres of wetlands across the province. That’s about eight times the size of the Toronto Islands.
• In the first two years of the program, an estimated $6 million of damage due to flooding has been avoided and over 170 green jobs were created in Ontario’s rural and near-urban communities to undertake restoration work.
• In 2022, the Royal Botanical Gardens received $49,175 through the Sensitive Habitats Project, contributing to the health and sustainability of Lake Ontario through volunteer assisted restoration of a portion of RBG's environmental protection lands.
  
  

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Learn about the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program
• Learn more about how Ontario protects and restores wetlands
  

MEDIA CONTACT

Caroline Raskin | Executive Assistant

Office of Natalie Pierre

Member of Provincial Parliament

Burlington

Email.caroline@nataliepierrempp.ca

Tel.905-639-7924 Direct. 289-309-4049 Fax. 905-639-3284