Ontario Investing Over $3 Million to Restore Wetlands and Protect Communities Against Floods

The Ontario government is delivering on its plan to protect Ontario communities by investing $3.1 million in Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) to support 15 projects that will restore and enhance 136 acres of wetlands across the Lake Ontario watershed. The funding is part of the province’s $9.6 million investment through the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program to support wetlands and protect communities against the threat of flooding, drought and other extreme weather events.

“Wetlands are vital natural infrastructure that protect our homes and businesses against drought and flooding, clean the water and create habitat for a variety of wildlife,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Our government is proud to partner with Ducks Unlimited Canada, a true conservation leader, to restore and enhance an estimated 136 acres of wetlands across this province. That’s the size of about 80 FIFA World Cup soccer fields returned to nature.”

Ducks Unlimited Canada will carry out projects in areas including Ajax, Hastings County and Kingston alongside its local partners. Together with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority, and private landowners, DUC will restore and enhance wetlands, improve fish and wildlife habitat and address erosion damage. Additional projects will also create new small wetlands through excavation and native planting.

“Ducks Unlimited Canada is grateful for the Government of Ontario’s renewed commitment to protecting and restoring wetlands across the province through the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program,” said Marie-Paule Godin, DUC Manager of Ontario Operations. “This funding represents an investment in the health of our landscapes and the well-being of our communities and we look forward to working with landowners and local partners to deliver impactful, science-based conservation on the ground.”

The government’s wetlands program is one of the largest investments in wetland enhancement and restoration in the province’s history. Since 2020, Ontario has invested nearly $41 million in 660 projects, restoring and enhancing over 12,200 acres (4,950 hectares) of wetlands in the Great Lakes watershed and connecting rivers.

This year’s projects will build on that record, supporting Great Lakes coastal wetlands and prioritizing areas in southern Ontario that have experienced wetland loss.

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