Ontario Announces $20 Million for Expanded Trail Access and Land Protection
The Ontario government announced on June 9, 2025, that it will invest $20 million over four years in the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program. For the 2024/25 year, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks says that 15 projects are set to open over 1,650 acres of land, including trails, for free public use across the province.
The investment includes three projects on the Bruce Trail, which the Bruce Trail Conservancy reports will secure and protect more than 150 acres within the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO World Biosphere. According to the ministry, these additions will create new sections of the Bruce Trail, which it describes as Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath. The ministry states that over 70 percent of the Bruce Trail currently runs through permanently protected land.
The Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA), which manages the competitive selection process for these projects, states that grant recipients are required to provide public access and must match each provincial dollar with at least two dollars from other conservation partners. These partners may include individual donors, foundations, or other levels of government.
Since launching in 2020, the ministry says the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program has supported the protection of more than 430,000 acres (approximately 175,000 hectares) of land in Ontario. The province indicates it has invested $58 million in the program since its inception.
Burlington MPP Natalie Pierre said that the Hollow Oak Nature Reserve along the Bruce Trail is among the sites to benefit from the new round of funding.
According to the OLTA, the alliance has 51 members and associates managing over 2,000 natural areas and greenspaces across the province.