The Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation
In 2001, the provincial government established the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation to fund activities related to the Oak Ridges Moraine (the “Moraine”), such as land securement, research, monitoring, public education and the Oak Ridges Trail. The government provided the foundation with an initial grant of $15 million for activities to support the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. Since its inception, the foundation has leveraged an additional $36 million in funding and supported over 170 projects to protect, preserve and enhance the Moraine.
Despite these impressive achievements, the provincial government has not provided any additional money to the foundation. As a result, the foundation suspended its granting role in 2009 due to a lack of provincial funding. However, the foundation has remained active in its co-ordinating and collaborative roles. For example, in 2011, the foundation released a series of reports that assessed the effectiveness of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. Through the assessment, the foundation discovered that Moraine stakeholders feel that its initiatives in land securement, land stewardship and public education are essential to ensuring the success of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
In 2011, the government provided $20 million to the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, in addition to its initial $25 million grant in 2005. While some of the Moraine is within the Greenbelt, the two foundations play two very distinct roles. Generally speaking, the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation focuses on agriculture and tourism projects across the Greenbelt, whereas the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation supports water quality and conservation land projects specific to the Moraine.
Given its accomplishments over the past decade, the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation should be actively involved in the scheduled review of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan in 2015. The ECO urges the provincial government to continue investing in projects that protect the Moraine and to support the foundation in its original roles.
For ministry comments, please see Appendix C.
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| This is an article from the 2010/11 Annual Report to the Legislature from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. |
Citing This Article:
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 2011. "The Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation." Engaging Solutions, ECO Annual Report, 2010/11. Toronto: The Queen's Printer for Ontario. 122.
