Ontario Investing $1 Million to Expand the Bruce Trail

This article is new today!

Source: Ontario - Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Date: 2026-10-30 15:34:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Environment, Tourism, Infrastructure]

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is investing $1 million through its Species Conservation Program and the Ontario Land Trust Alliance to help the Bruce Trail Conservancy transform the former Talisman Mountain Resort into the 123-acre (50-hectare) Talisman Forest Nature Reserve. The project will permanently add a nearly 1-kilometre section to the 900-kilometre Bruce Trail along the Niagara Escarpment by removing old ski resort infrastructure, reforesting ski slopes, and restoring meadow and forest habitats for species at risk. The funding is part of a broader expansion of the Species Conservation Program, which has provided the Ontario Land Trust Alliance with over $12.5 million over five years to support local land securement and conservation initiatives.

Ontario Introducing Changes to Improve Blue Box Program

Source: Ontario - Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Date: 2026-10-23 18:14:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Environment, Economy, Governance]

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is proposing legislative and regulatory changes to the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act and Ontario's Blue Box Regulation (O. Reg. 391/21) to increase transparency, accountability, and cost predictability for producers operating provincewide recycling services. The proposed changes will allow the province to regulate contract terms and fees between producer responsibility organizations (PROs) and producers, establish clearer reporting requirements, set service and bin allocation standards, explore collection of flexible plastics, and replace the current program administrator with a new independent administrator. These actions build upon prior cost-stabilization measures enacted in September 2025 to mitigate economic pressures on businesses amidst potential U.S. tariffs.

Carney, Ford to announce funding for clean auto investments: source

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-21 13:59:35.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Industry, Environment]

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are scheduled to unveil a joint support package on Parliament Hill to assist Canadian auto companies making clean investments. The announcement comes in response to ongoing U.S.-Canada trade tensions—including U.S. tariff threats of up to 50 percent on cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel taking effect January 1, 2027—and addresses Canada's greenhouse gas standards following the U.S. Trump administration's rollback of federal fuel economy standards. Federal industry and finance ministers are expected to join the premier and prime minister for the announcement.

Ontario Investing $1.8 million in Community Projects to Protect the Great Lakes

Source: Ontario - Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Date: 2026-09-24 19:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Environment, Climate]

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, led by Minister Todd McCarthy, announced a $1.8 million investment through the fourth round of the Great Lakes Local Action Fund to support community-led environmental projects. The funding program provides grants for initiatives aimed at restoring wetlands, addressing pollution, rebuilding habitats, and protecting water quality across the Great Lakes and connecting river systems. Applications for the 2026-2027 funding cycle are open until November 6, 2026. Since the program's inception in 2021, the Ontario government has committed a total of $5.5 million across 107 projects, forming part of the province's broader $14 million annual spending to fulfill commitments under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health and Ontario's Great Lakes Strategy.

Ontario Government Activates Disaster Recovery Assistance Program Following April 2026 Overland Flooding

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Date: 2026-09-18 16:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Emergency, Infrastructure, Environment]

The Ontario government has activated the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program in specific areas of the Township of Billings, the City of North Bay, the Municipality of Minden Hills, and the Town of Muskoka Lakes following severe overland flooding caused by snowmelt, saturated ground, and repeated rainfall in April 2026. Eligible residents, small businesses, farms, and not-for-profit organizations in the designated activation areas can apply for financial assistance covering emergency expenses, clean-up, and the repair or replacement of essential property not covered by private insurance. Completed assessment information prompted the program expansion following earlier activations on July 17, 2026, with all applications under the current activation due by January 18, 2027.

Former MP Mike Morrice only candidate for Green Party of Canada leadership after Nira Dookeran withdraws

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-09 12:44:17.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Governance, Environment, Climate]

Former Member of Parliament Mike Morrice of Kitchener, Ontario, has become the sole candidate for the leadership of the Green Party of Canada after Ottawa-based candidate Nira Dookeran withdrew from the race on September 9, 2026, citing personal and family reasons. The Green Party's leadership contest, launched on June 11, 2026, to find a replacement for outgoing leader Elizabeth May, had previously scheduled voting between November 2 and November 13, 2026, with results expected on November 14, 2026. Morrice, who previously served as the MP for Kitchener Centre and was named deputy leader of the federal Greens in November 2025, continues his campaign following Dookeran's withdrawal while awaiting further instructions from the party regarding leadership contest logistics.

PM says 'more can be done' to address increasingly severe wildfire seasons

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-04 17:06:09.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Environment, Climate, Emergency, Indigenous]

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced during a visit to Thunder Bay, Ontario, that the federal government plans to issue new investments in early warning detection, firefighting aircraft, and equipment as the province experiences its worst recorded wildfire season. Over 2,800 individuals were displaced at the peak of seasonal activity, and wildfires completely destroyed two First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario: Namaygoosisagagun First Nation (Collins First Nation) and Whitewater Lake First Nation. Local advocacy groups such as Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet and leadership from Nishnawbe Aski Nation criticized the federal response, citing inadequate climate policies, continued support for fossil fuel infrastructure including pipelines, and infrastructure deficits affecting 30 northern First Nations without year-round road access.

Ottawa lays out plan for AI data centres as community backlash grows

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-09-03 19:59:23.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Technology, Infrastructure, Energy, Environment]

AI Minister Evan Solomon unveiled a federal five-point national framework in Markham, Ontario, introducing voluntary principles for the construction of large-scale artificial intelligence data centres to address community concerns regarding electricity, water use, and noise. The framework is endorsed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and signatories including Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Bell Canada, and TELUS, though the federal government acknowledged it lacks the jurisdiction to enforce the standards, leaving enforcement to provinces and municipalities. A study by York University researchers Lyndsey Rolheiser and Alexander Carlo noted that while only four active AI-specific data centres operate in Canada, 49 additional facilities are announced or under construction.

Ontario and Canada Celebrate Successful Restoration of Nipigon Bay

Source: Ontario - Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Date: 2026-08-28 19:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Environment, Climate, Indigenous, Fisheries]

The Governments of Ontario and Canada have officially removed Nipigon Bay from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern after nearly 40 years of cleanup work under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health. The restoration efforts—which included upgraded wastewater treatment in the Township of Nipigon and Township of Red Rock, stricter pulp and paper industry regulations, and aquatic habitat rehabilitation—spanned a nearly 50,000-acre area including the lower Nipigon River. Since the late 1980s, the Government of Ontario has invested nearly $25.5 million (including over $17 million since 2018), while the federal government has contributed more than $12 million since 2012 alongside total partner investments of $68 million. The milestone project was achieved through collaborative efforts involving local partners and First Nations, including the Red Rock Indian Band, Lakehead University, and local community groups.