A budget commitment by the Ontario Government has the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) smiling.
In its budget tabled March 26, the province announced $20 million over four years to conserve more lands and waters.
The new funding will be delivered through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program that was set to expire this year.
Since its launch in 2020, the program has protected more than 166,000 hectares of land and water over 75 key ecologically significant projects.
That’s an area equivalent to the size of the cities of Mississauga, Kingston, London, North Bay, Windsor and Peterborough combined.
The Greenlands program requires partners to raise matching funds from other sources, including donors, foundations and other levels of government to accelerate conservation and restoration across Ontario.
For every on dollar of provincial investment, these charities raise $1.50 in matching funds.
Dana Kleniewski, NCC’s acting regional vice-president in Ontario, says, “Collaboration is at the heart of conservation, and we need not only the participation of governments and conservation groups, but also of landowners, businesses, communities, foundations and individuals — there is a place for everyone. We are ready to continue working together to protect nature, so it can protect us.”
NCC projects completed with support of the Greenlands Conservation Partnership include the acquisition of more than 5,700 hectares at the Hastings Wildlife Junction, south of Bancroft.
