This video presents “Incredible by Any Measure… the Great Lakes”:
- The Nature Conservancy shows the importance of protecting and restoring the world’s largest freshwater system:
Did you know that Ontario’s Great Lakes form the longest freshwater coastline in the world stretching more than 11,000 kilometres?
In appreciation of these marvelously vital ecological resources, the provincial government is offering residents in Ontario, Canada, a great green opportunity to protect and restore a part of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin via the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund:
- Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund
- Supports community projects to help protect and restore the ecological health of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin
- Provides grants of up to $25,000 per project for up to 100% of eligible project costs to community groups for grassroots activities such as:
- cleaning up a beach or shoreline
- restoring a wetland
- creating a coastal or riverside trail
- protecting or restoring fish, plant or wildlife habitat
- you can find more project examples in this example sheet (PDF) and in the application guide (PDF)
- Available for projects in Ontario’s Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin and their watersheds, including:
- Lake Erie
- Lake Huron
- Lake Ontario
- Lake Superior
- St. Lawrence River
- Ottawa River
- Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund is open to:
- First Nations and Métis communities and organizations
- not-for-profit organizations include:
- community-based organizations
- agricultural and land-owner focused organizations
- environmental and conservation organizations
- academic institutions
- service clubs
- environmental groups
- scout troops
- conservation authorities or municipalities
- If your organization is a municipality or conservation authority, you must collaborate with a community-based organization to apply
- To be eligible your project must contribute to at least one of the following Great Lakes & St. Lawrence River Basin goals (you can learn more about them in Ontario’s Draft Great Lakes Strategy):
- Empowering communities
- Protecting water
- Improving wetlands, beaches and coastal areas
- Protecting habitats and species
- All projects must be successfully completed by February 3, 2014:
- In most cases, successful applicants will receive funding through a series of payments:
- upon the execution of the Grant Application by the ministry;
- in instalments as the project progresses for longer projects, and
- as a final amount when the project is complete and final report has been approved
- In most cases, successful applicants will receive funding through a series of payments:
Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund Info Sessions:
You are invited to attend an information session to learn more about the fund, the application process and to have your questions answered.
- You may attend in person, by webinar or by teleconference.
- Please reserve your spot at the information sessions that are listed below, by phone or email.
- Once you’ve reserved your spot, Ontario will contact you with more details including specific location, time, agenda and webinar sign-in information.
The dates and locations of the sessions are:
| July 31, 2012 | Toronto |
| August 2, 2012 | Thunder Bay |
| August 8, 2012 | Kingston |
| August 15, 2012 | Windsor |
| August 22, 2012 | Cambridge |
| August 23, 2012 | Toronto (targeted to First Nations communities and organizations) |
| August 29, 2012 | Toronto |
Contact Info to reserve your spot at an information session:
| Email: | GreatLakesFund@ontario.ca |
| Telephone: | In the Greater Toronto Area: 416-325-4000 Toll-free: 1-800-565-4923 TTY in the Greater Toronto Area: 416-326-9236 TTY toll-free: 1-800-515-2759 |
Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund Application:
- Please apply soon because applications meeting the fund’s criteria will be awarded grants in the order in which they are received as long as funds are available.
- Applications will no longer be accepted after Friday, October 12, 2012 at 5pm EDT.
- Send an email to: GreatLakesFund@ontario.ca or call 1-800-565-4923 and a hard copy will be mailed or faxed to you.
- Please submit applications to the following address or email:
Email: GreatLakesFund@ontario.ca Mail: ATTN: Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund
Rural Programs Branch
4th Floor – 1 Stone Road West
Guelph ON N1G 4Y2
Please click here for more info about the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund.
Also, for the background info regarding the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund, please click here.
Good Luck! / Bonne Chance!
Ontario, Canada: Newsroom
NEWS RELEASE
Helping Ontarians Protect Great Lakes
July 24, 2012
McGuinty Government Launches Community Action Fund
Ontario is launching a new initiative to help communities protect their part of the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund provides grants to community groups for grassroots activities such as cleaning up a beach or shoreline, restoring a wetland, or creating a coastal or riverside trail. Not-for-profit groups such as service clubs, environmental groups and scout troops are eligible. Friends
Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes is part of the McGuinty government’s plan to enhance the quality of life for Ontario families and ensure a strong, green economy for future generations.
QUOTES
“We all need healthy Great Lakes for drinking water, food, electricity, enjoyment and employment. If you want to clean up your corner of the Great Lakes, you can apply for a modest grant to help put your good ideas into action.”
– Jim Bradley
Minister of the Environment
QUICK FACTS
- Applications for the first round of funding will be accepted until October 12, 2012. Grants will begin to be awarded soon after the application period starts.
- The program provides up to $25,000 per project for local actions to protect the Great Lakes and the streams that flow into them.
- Ontario’s Great Lakes form the longest freshwater coastline in the world stretching more than 11,000 kilometres.
LEARN MORE
CONTACTS
- Contact information for the general public
416-325-4000
1-800-565-4923 - Lyndsay Miller
Minister’s Office
416-314-6739
Lyndsay.Miller@ontario.ca
Ministry of the Environment
ontario.ca/environment
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