Environment and Climate Change Canada has awarded the Bruce Trail Conservancy a prestigious five-year, $5 million matching grant through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to help advance urgent Niagara Escarpment land securement and conservation goals.
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of 40 conservation partners across Canada that will share up to $109 million in funding over the next five years through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund. This funding is part of the $631 million that the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund will distribute over ten years (2021–2031) on Canadian conservation projects.
“This federal grant represents the largest government investment ever in our work. It recognizes the importance of protecting the Niagara Escarpment’s vulnerable and valuable lands, and endorses our expertise as one of Canada’s leading environmental charities,” explained Michael McDonald, CEO of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. “It will also ensure that we have the resources needed to care for and restore these precious places so that they remain healthy and protected for generations to come.”
As one of the most diverse eco-regions in Canada, the Niagara Escarpment matters in the global fight to conserve and protect biodiversity, and mitigate against the impacts of climate change. “We’re amidst a climate crisis and biodiversity crash – and the lands that we love are under threat like never before” said McDonald. “Together, we can protect irreplaceable Niagara Escarpment natural lands that address these challenges, and create a path to a healthier world where nature thrives, and so do we.”
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of Ontario’s largest land trusts and the steward of Canada’s Bruce Trail. With a 60-year conservation history of securing and stewarding Escarpment lands, the Bruce Trail Conservancy has the skills to bring more ecologically important land into the conservation corridor, as well as implement solutions to climate change. Nature-based solutions are among the most powerful tools we have to address climate change. They make a measurable difference for people and nature.
The Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund is a matching grant, meaning this federal grant is dependent on support from generous donations. Every dollar donated to the Bruce Trail Conservancy through this program will be matched by Environment and Climate Change Canada, doubling the impact for the conservation of the Niagara Escarpment. To learn more about this matching opportunity, please visit brucetrail.org
