Ontario Investing in Inclusive and Accessible Communities

 Ontario is investing $750,000 to help communities across the province become more inclusive and accessible for people of all ages and abilities.

Applications for the next round of Inclusive Community Grants opened today. These grants provide successful municipalities, non-profit community organizations, and Indigenous communities with up to $60,000 for a local project that will help older residents and people with disabilities participate in community life. This year, Ontario will prioritize projects that support under-served communities and those that address COVID-19-related challenges.

“Our communities are made stronger when we ensure everyone is included in community life,” said Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “That’s why I’m proud to announce the launch of the latest round of funding for Inclusive Community Grants, which will help communities across the province design and implement community-based projects to meet the needs of seniors and people with disabilities.”

The Inclusive Community Grants program was created in November 2020 and funding from the first round went towards projects such as:

Making public buildings and outdoor spaces more accessible in 13 rural communities across the Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes region

Developing culturally appropriate age-friendly community resources for Haudenosaunee Elders at Six Nations Health Services

Addressing the emerging needs of older adults in light of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Lakehead Social Planning Council in a partnership with Centre Francophone de Thunder Bay and Pride Thunder Bay.

Applications for Inclusive Community Grants are now open and available at Ontario.ca/GetFunding. Eligible organizations will have until March 3, 2022, to submit their applications

Additional Resources

• Creating a more inclusive Ontario: age-friendly community planning guide for municipalities and community organizations
• Accessibility in Ontario
• Programs and services to support Ontario’s seniors

 The Ontario government is building strong rural communities with investments that will help to accelerate the creation of new housing, support modern and efficient public infrastructure and boost economic development. The funding was announced during the 2022 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference and will help to support families, small businesses and create local jobs – all of which are critical to building a strong economic recovery for rural Ontario.

"Rural and Northern communities are the backbone of Ontario and key to the province’s economy," said Premier Doug Ford. "Our government will continue working with ROMA and its members to protect the progress we’ve made against COVID-19 and lay the groundwork for strong, thriving communities in every corner of the province.”

Ontario is providing over $28 million to support 322 projects through the Municipal Modernization Program to help small and rural municipalities find better, more efficient ways to deliver local services for residents and businesses. Municipalities can use the funding to conduct reviews of local services and administrative operations to find efficiencies, including accelerating the creation of new housing through streamlined development approvals and working with neighbouring municipalities to share services.

“Since day one, our government has been working with our rural municipal partners to address local priorities, seize opportunities and help empower communities to reach their full potential,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Together, we will keep our communities safe and ensure that rural municipalities have the support they need to build more homes faster, attract business and investment and create jobs.”

Premier Doug Ford, Ministers, Associate Ministers and Parliamentary Assistants held virtual meetings with hundreds of municipal officials during the ROMA conference, which took place from January 23 – 25, 2022. They discussed key priorities for rural municipalities, including economic growth, public health, resource development, increasing housing supply, supports for the province’s most vulnerable and working across all levels of government to keep communities safe, as Ontario continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our government remains committed to supporting and protecting the people who work and live in rural Ontario,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “That is why we are investing $1 billion over the next five years, through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, to help build and repair local roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure. We’re making sure small, rural and northern communities have the resources they need to build stronger, healthier and more resilient communities.”

Through a new targeted intake of the Rural Economic Development (RED) program, Ontario is also helping local communities to attract and retain workers, create new jobs and help support families and businesses affected by COVID-19. Municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and local service boards can make application for funding beginning February 7, 2022 until March 7, 2022.

The province also continues to work with rural municipalities to make it easier for hardworking Ontarians and their families to find a home that meets their needs and budget. On January 23, 2022, Premier Ford and Minister Clark hosted a roundtable with rural, remote and northern municipalities to discuss the unique housing opportunities and challenges that these communities face and what additional supports the province could provide to help build more housing.

“Rural communities are key to the economic and social vitality of our province,” said Robin Jones, Chair, Rural Ontario Municipal Association. The ROMA conference is an important opportunity for provincial and municipal leaders to discuss and collaborate on rural priorities. We thank the Premier and Cabinet Ministers for taking part. We appreciated that they listened to rural Ontario’s goals and aspirations, as we seek a path to recovery and growth after the pandemic.”

QUICK FACTS

• The RED program supports projects that help to attract business and investment in rural and Indigenous communities, while providing greater value for taxpayer dollars. The Government of Ontario has committed more than $15.2 million to fund more than 287 economic development projects through the RED program since 2019.
• The Ontario government is providing $375.6 million to help 107 municipalities across the province operate and improve local transit. The funding is being delivered through the Gas Tax program and can be used to extend service hours, buy transit vehicles, add routes, improve accessibility or upgrade infrastructure.
• Ontario has provided $92 million in operating and capital grants through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Community Building Fund to support 834 community organizations, municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profit tourism, culture, sport and recreation organizations across the province – enhancing quality of life and supporting local jobs.
• Ontario is providing an additional $1 billion over the next five years to help build and repair local roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure in small, rural and northern communities. This investment is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects that support economic recovery, growth and job creation.
• The Ontario government is providing nearly $4 billion to bring access to reliable high-speed internet for every community across the province by the end of 2025.
• During the 2022 ROMA conference, more than 285 delegation meetings were held with rural municipalities and municipal organizations

Additional Resources

• Municipal Modernization Program – List of municipal service delivery and efficiency projects
• The provincial government’s housing policies under More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan
• 2021-22 Gas Tax Funding by Municipality

New Ontario Clean Energy Registry Will Make Province Even More Attractive for Investment

January 26, 2022

As environmental and sustainability goals increasingly influence corporate decisions on where to invest and grow, the Ontario government is taking action and leveraging the province’s world-class clean electricity grid by developing a voluntary clean energy credit (CEC) registry to boost Ontario’s international competitiveness and attract jobs.

“Ontario families have done the heavy-lifting and built one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world. Our government is ensuring Ontario is leveraging this competitive advantage to drive investment and create jobs.” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “The creation of a clean energy credit registry will give businesses the opportunity to meet their corporate environmental and sustainability goals when choosing to operate in Ontario and will also generate revenue which could be returned to Ontario ratepayers to help lower electricity costs.”

Voluntary CECs are certificates that each represent 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of clean electricity that has been generated from a non-emitting source, such as solar, wind, bioenergy, hydroelectric and nuclear power. A provincial CEC registry will leverage Ontario’s already world-class clean electricity system, that was 94 per cent emissions-free in 2020, and allow businesses to voluntarily purchase and retire these CECs to meet their corporate sustainability goals and demonstrate that their electricity has been sourced from a non-emitting resource. A CEC registry could return funds raised through the purchase of CECs to Ontario ratepayers and could support future clean energy generation in the province.

The Ontario government has directed the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to research and report back on the design of a provincial CEC registry, that would give businesses more choice in how they achieve their corporate sustainability goals. The IESO will deliver its report by July 4, 2022. The government will consider the report as well as stakeholder input, with the intention of having the registry available by January 2023.

“A voluntary clean energy credit market could be a key tool to help Ontario electricity customers realize their clean energy preferences,” says Lesley Gallinger, President and CEO of the IESO. “We will engage with industry stakeholders, businesses, and others as we assess options for a potential market.”

The commitment to develop a registry builds on continued government action to make Ontario the best place to create jobs by cutting red tape and electricity prices all while helping businesses reduce emissions to meet the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan’s climate targets. This will make life easier for Ontarians by returning more money to their pockets as they continue to deal with financial challenges presented by the pandemic and will help protect the environment for future generations.

“By lowering taxes, reducing electricity costs and cutting red tape, our government has reduced the cost of doing business in Ontario by $7 billion a year,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Developing a clean energy credit registry with flexible options adds to the list of benefits to businesses looking to expand and invest in Ontario.”

Quick Facts

There is currently no official centralized registry that tracks and enables purchase of CECs for electricity generated and consumed in Ontario.

Developing a CEC registry would allow for the simplified creation, trading, and retirement of CECs in Ontario.

CECs, or similar voluntary registries, exist in other competing North American jurisdictions, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and the New England states.

Purchasers will be able to source CECs from one or multiple solar, wind, bioenergy, nuclear, and hydroelectric generation facilities in Ontario to meet their individual or corporate goals.

 Quotes

"The best places to do business are those that are forward-thinking. Access to a clean energy mix is becoming one of the driving factors for companies when thinking about where to grow their business. This is an important initiative that positions the province as a smart partner for companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint." - Trevor Dauphinee CEO, Invest Ontario

"Retail Council of Canada (RCC) supports the Ontario government’s commitment to develop a Clean Energy Credit system. Delivering products – be it clothing or groceries, toys or power tools – to our customers in an environmentally friendly way is a top of mind imperative for retailers. This Made-in-Ontario initiative will lead to a competitive marketplace, wherein businesses can voluntarily make commitments which will green our grid, drive local innovation, all while delivering competitively priced credits to business." - Diane J. Brisebois President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada

"GM applauds the Ontario government’s announcement of a new program to introduce a voluntary clean energy credit registry that gives businesses options to meet environmental and sustainability goals." - David Paterson Vice President, Corporate and Environmental Affairs, General Motors Canada

"OPG has seen a strong increase in interest, and uptick in sales, for environmental attributes from our non-emitting hydroelectric and nuclear facilities. The government’s proposed centralized CEC registry is a significant step that will benefit ratepayers and support Ontario electricity consumers wishing to track and report on their emissions goals." - Ken Hartwick President and CEO, Ontario Power Generation (OPG)

Additional Resources

Open for Business

We're helping to grow the economy and create good jobs. Find the resources you need to do business, work and invest in Ontario.

Find programs to reduce your electricity bill

Learn about programs and credits to reduce your electricity bill.

Ontario’s Environment Plan

Learn about Ontario’s plan to address climate change and protect our air, land and water.

Ontario Appoints New Greenbelt Council Chair

 Former minister of environment and founding member of the Niagara Escarpment Commission will help guide the province on protecting and growing the Greenbelt

The Ontario government has appointed Norm Sterling as Chair of the Greenbelt Council. The former minister of environment, and founding member of the Niagara Escarpment Commission, will help guide the province as it undertakes what could result in the largest expansion of the Greenbelt since its creation in 2005.
“Mr. Sterling brings important experience to the Greenbelt Council, and I am confident that under his leadership there will be incredible work done to support growing the Greenbelt,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “As a fellow grandparent, we understand the importance of leaving all of our grandchildren, and great grandchildren, with an enhanced version of the gem that is the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”
The Greenbelt Council was created to provide advice to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on land use matters related to the Greenbelt, including education and outreach to promote the goals of the Greenbelt Plan.
“It is an honour to serve as Chair of the Council as we work towards growing the Greenbelt,” said Mr. Sterling. “I will leverage my experience to work collaboratively with our council to ensure that we are working toward protecting and growing the Greenbelt.”
Ontario’s Greenbelt protects farmland, communities, forests, wetlands and watersheds. It also preserves cultural heritage and supports recreation and tourism in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The province is currently considering how best to protect and grow the Greenbelt through consultations on:
protecting the Paris Galt Moraine; and
adding, expanding and further protecting urban river valleys, and increasing the Greenbelt’s footprint in urban areas.
The first round of public consultations on growing the Greenbelt concluded on April 19, 2021 and the input is being reviewed. Further engagement and consultation will continue through the summer.
 
Quick Facts
Established under the Greenbelt Act, 2005, the Greenbelt is a broad band of protected land that currently includes over 800,000 hectares of land in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The Greenbelt currently contains 21 urban river valleys and associated wetlands. These are the valleys of rivers that pass-through cities or towns and act as urban gateways to the Greenbelt.
The Paris Galt Moraine is a glacial deposit of loose sediment and rock extending from Caledon to north of Paris and Brantford and is home to critical groundwater resources.
The term of Mr. Sterling’s appointment is for three years.
All Greenbelt Council Members receive a per diem for attending meetings.
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Youth will have an opportunity to participate at the Canadian Sustainability Conference

For the first time in the modern age, the world’s workforce encompasses five generations, from the Traditionalists born before 1945 all the way through to Gen Zers. This presents an unprecedented opportunity to reap the benefits of intergenerational collaboration.

With this in mind, the Canadian Sustainability Conference (CSC) is kicking off its first Youth Delegate program at CSC 2020, April 7-8, at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre.

The innovative program calls for youth and young adults, ages 15-25, to apply to be the “voice of youth” at the national conference while allowing them to collaborate with seasoned professionals in the areas of cleaning, infection prevention and—especially— sustainability.

Changes to Biogas Rules for Farms to Increase Economic Opportunity in Ontario's Renewable Natural Gas Sector

November 18, 2019 Ontario to consult on ways to boost biogas sector revenues by up to 50 per cent in five years The Government of Ontario will launch consultations to identify potential changes that would allow farmers to expand the emerging renewable natural gas market in Ontario and make the province a North American leader in the biogas sector. The consultations will focus on changes designed to reduce red tape and grow untapped economic opportunities for on-farm biogas operations.

Sundae in the Park with Mike

Riverside Park  709 Woolwich St,

Guelph, Ontario N1H 3Z1

Join MPP Mike Schreiner for a lovely Sunday afternoon in the park.
There will be Face Painting & Glitter Tattoos courtesy of Cleo the Clown and Her Painting Pals, Ice Cream and Lemonade courtesy of Ice Cream Truck MegaCone Creamery and musical performance courtesy of Guelph Youth Singers