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A profound Indigenous saying here on Turtle Island is that Water is Life. Water is not only scientifically required for life to flourish, but it also connects people to new places; it brings people together.  In Toronto, we are lucky to have many water sources – from rivers and lakes to ponds and ravines formed through thousands of years of geographical shifts. 

Focusing on these waterways, the InTO the Ravines program, launched in 2020, has made quite a splash. First conceptualized on the heels of Toronto’s first-ever Ravine Strategy, the program’s multifaceted, support-focused and community-first approach has made soaring positive impacts. The InTO the Ravines program seeks to mitigate the impacts of climate change that continue to become more apparent everywhere, including in Toronto’s urban and natural spaces, while keeping communities at the centre. 

As the program nears its 4-year mark, Park People has recently launched the Ravine Engagement Report, highlighting its tremendous impacts on the communities it serves across the city. 

A group of people watching a turtle nest
Source: Park People Conference, High Park, Toronto, Ksenija Hotic, 2023

What is InTO the Ravines? 

InTO the Ravines has sought to tackle the fact that despite many people living or working near them, Toronto’s ravines are often forgotten spaces in the city. InTO the Ravines consists of two main components. 

First, a microgrant stream, where community-led groups are funded to host gathering and learning events in and around Toronto’s ravine system. Second, a champions training program, where pairs of community leaders are provided training, funding, and event planning support to host an event in their local ravines. 

Equity-deserving community groups who face barriers, including uncertainty due to fear of getting lost or other feelings of lack of safety, in accessing ravine spaces are prioritized. As can be found throughout the Ravine Engagement Report, InTO the Ravines, through its very design, has been developed to work more closely and collaboratively with equity-deserving community members to support the Protect, Connect, and Celebrate tenets of the Ravine Strategy.

The multipronged nature of the program has had wide-reaching impacts: over 3,000 community members have actively engaged with their ravine spaces, with 50 champions receiving training and support over the course of the past three years. 

Since the implementation of this unique and innovative program began three years ago, everyone involved in InTO the Ravines, whether they have played the role of champions, grantees, or program staff, has been able to experience Toronto’s ravine spaces in different, unique, and memorable ways. InTO the Ravines program also emphasizes continuing to develop relationships with the ravine spaces long after their involvement in the program ends. 

3 kids smiling at the camera
Source: Ravine Days, ET Seton Park, Toronto, 2022

Connection/re-connection

InTO the Ravines centres around fostering connections between people and nature and nurturing spaces for self-connection or self-reflection. 

As the program launched and the impacts of the pandemic became more pronounced, including greater feelings of isolation and sadness, the importance of these natural spaces became all the more crucial, especially for those in equity-deserving communities. As the program facilitates space for community gatherings in and around ravine spaces, community connection is a major element of this program. Over 100 events have been hosted by community members, and 15% of in-person event attendees said they had never visited a ravine before. Importantly, in a space where the impacts of climate change manifest, ravine spaces become critical to highlight the need to restore relationships and reconnect to nature.

The connection piece of InTO the Ravines is especially emphasized through the champion training program. Here, champions get to meet each other and learn from each other and speakers from the Toronto Region Conservation Authority and the City of Toronto, as well as build up their own skills in event planning and networking.

For me, it was knowing more about not just what is the Ravine Strategy, but what the city sort of looked to develop and how it grew. So meeting with park staff…that was pretty cool because I think on just our own– we had the documents, but just hearing it from the city and the work on that strategy was cool to get an inside look.

Program Participant

Park People ensures that champion alumni remain connected to the program by supporting them through various means, events and opportunities, networks, and funding to continue their activation of ravines in the years after they have completed training and that they are re-connected to other cohort members. 50% of past participants have continued to host events in their ravines after completing the program.

Finally, InTO the Ravines has also helped facilitate new connections to the land through Indigenous teachings as part of the various ravine events.

Events like this or talking to an elder, for me, was one of the first opportunities to learn about Indigenous history and parks. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have ever known where to even find information other than just reading up online.

Program Participant

Two people wearing a Park People shirt
Source: Park People, Clémence Marcastel, 2022

Community Engagement and Deepening the Impact on Equity

Park and nature access are unequal across the city. For many of our programs, including InTO the Ravines, Park People prioritizes working with equity-deserving, resident-led groups who often live close to ravines but, for various reasons, both physical and sociological, do not access them. 

As mentioned in our Ravine Engagement Report, several participants reported that they either didn’t know that ravines existed in their communities or that they were unaware of how to access them.

Our research found this was especially true in communities of colour.

Specifically, the Champions training program has focused on redressing some of this imbalance by working with residents from equity-deserving communities to provide them with training, funding, and support.  One of InTO the Ravines’ core value is that community members are the experts on their local parks, neighbourhoods and ravines, and their nuanced and lived knowledge of their local community make them excellent leaders to take on this work.

A community member shares the impact of this focus in our Ravine Engagement Report,  

In a dense city like Toronto, where few people have access to backyards or natural areas outside the city, InTO the ravines helped (me) see these spaces as shared places where (I) could get away from the daily life in the city.

Community member

Significantly, 70% of event attendees are more likely to bring friends and family to visit the ravines in the future. 

A man showig photos of caterpillars and butterflies to a group of kids
Source: Caterpillar Ravine Event, Smythe Park, Toronto, Joel Rodriguez, 2022

Collaborative Partnerships

Another cornerstone of the InTO the Ravines program is strong and collaborative partnerships. The InTO the Ravines Champions training program focuses on working together as a group and helps foster partnerships between sets of champions and inter-community partnerships across different city regions. As a testament to this, 125 park and ravine groups and 30 organizations worked together on the development and execution of InTO the Ravines.

Additionally, The City of Toronto and Park People developed this program collaboratively and continue to work jointly through the year to support each other’s strengths and to offer assistance or help fill in gaps. InTO the Ravines champions and microgrant recipients work collaboratively with Park People and the City through focus groups, feedback and evaluations to improve the program each year and are plugged into our wider Toronto Network. This year, Park People worked directly with past champions to provide partnership and support where groups requested it, continuing to prioritize working in trusting and collaborative relationships with community groups.

Next Steps

These themes also show up in a myriad of other ways through our Ravine Engagement Report.

Also, find the Ravine Strategy here to learn more about the important principles and how you can get involved. 

If you are in Toronto between Saturday, September 30 and October 9, we highly encourage you to attend a Ravine Days event, including one that Park People and Evergreen are jointly supporting on Saturday, October 7, and one that STEPS Public Art is hosting with the support of Park People’s Cornerstone program.

Every summer, Toronto’s parks come alive with art, music, theatre, and dance through Arts in the Parks, a city-wide initiative that turns public green spaces into open-air stages.

Presented by the Toronto Arts Foundation in partnership with the Toronto Arts Council, the City of Toronto, and Park People, this unique program animates parks in every corner of the city, from concrete plazas to lush green spaces in Scarborough, Etobicoke, and North York.

Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 700,000 people across the city have visited 78 parks for over 2,400 free arts events including Japanese Taiko drumming, collaborative mural painting, and African circus performances—to name just a few!

At Park People, our vision for Canada’s cities includes vibrant parks where people and the rest of nature thrive, and where everyone—regardless of income, identity, ability, or age—has equal access to the benefits of public green space. 

However, 33 percent of Torontonians don’t live within walking distance of arts and cultural programming, and overwhelmingly, those people are Black, Indigenous, people of colour, and newcomer residents of the city’s inner suburbs.

To close this gap, Park People supports Arts in the Parks by selecting sites in areas where access to free cultural programming isn’t generally as accessible, and where new opportunities for creative park animations abound. 

Creativity in Collaboration

Park People also supports the Arts in the Parks program by drawing on our biggest skill: strengthening the relationships between neighbours and their local parks. To ensure that events are responsive to the needs and interests of their surrounding communities, we bring our relationships with park groups and local leaders into the process early on, helping to shape events that reflect the neighbourhood and invite people in.

“Our role is to connect. Before events are organized, we try to bring together artists and community groups, usually in the park where the event will happen. These early meetings create space for ideas to grow.”

Cindy Hashie, Senior Project Manager at Park People.

These meetings are a chance for everyone at the table to share stories, ask questions, and shape something new, together. Community groups bring valuable knowledge, like when the park is busiest or which language flyers should be printed in, while artists can share their creative visions and learn what matters most to the people who use the park every day.

“We help make the connection so everyone feels comfortable, heard, and respected.”

Ayesha Talreja, Project Manager at Park People.

Inspiring New Artistic Journeys

For Ayesha, one of the most exciting parts of Arts in the Parks is seeing how it inspires event attendees to think about their own creative potential.

Ana Cuciureanu is just one great example: Ana first got involved in Arts in the Parks as the founder of the Friends of Parkway Forest Park, a group also supported through Park People’s Sparking Change program. After seeing how Arts in the Parks brought community-based art into her beloved local park, Ana decided to create her own event through her collective Splash on Earth, which brings together eco-artists, storytellers, and neighbours to make public art using eco-paint made from food waste. Ana’s team has hosted Arts in the Parks events for three years, and even formed a non-profit dedicated to creative climate action.

Drawing of planet earth hold by a hand

“Ana understands what it means to collaborate. She’s been on both sides as a community organizer and as an artist. That perspective helps create events that reflect the community.”

Ayesha

Others have followed similar paths, like Christine Malec, who started as a participant in Park People’s InTO the Ravines initiative and now leads accessibility-focused arts programming through Arts in the Park. Her project, Described Toronto, offers audio-based tours of the city for people with sight impairments which are often incorporated into a podcast with rich descriptions of Toronto, its flora and fauna, inhabitants and culture.

Group of people looking at native plants
Described Toronto providing a descriptive tour of gardens in Toronto.


These stories remind us that public space and public art are powerfully connected. When people see themselves reflected in what happens in their park, they feel a deeper sense of responsibility to their community, and often, an expanded sense of creative possibility. 

Creativity That Brings People In

Arts in the Parks aims to offer something for everyone, whether it’s Asian drumming or Salsa dancing  that invite people to move together, or quiet moments of storytelling under a shady tree. Some events are deeply rooted in local cultural traditions, while others introduce new and unexpected art forms to neighbourhoods that may not have seen them before. No matter the medium, the program’s strength is in how it brings people together, and how it inspires long-term creative partnerships between artists and residents.

A asian woman drumming
2025 Arts in the Parks Kick-off event. Credit: Kat Rizza, Arts in the Parks Toronto.

“Artists who return to the program year after year often think deeply about how to engage the community. They find creative ways to hear from neighbours and make space for local input in how their work takes shape.”

Ayesha

Of course, there are always challenges: schedules shift, event permits take time, and not every collaboration unfolds exactly as planned. But there is care in the process. And if an event has to move, the program works to make sure the original park still gets something special. The intention is always to honour local relationships and keep the doors open for participation.

Looking Ahead

As we approach the tenth anniversary of the program, Arts in the Parks continues to grow in both its reach and impact.

Between supporting artists in building meaningful community ties and helping park groups explore their creative side, we’re proud to be part of an initiative that brings joy, connection, and possibility to neighbourhoods across Toronto.

To learn more about Arts in the Parks and find more events near you this summer, visit artsintheparksto.org

Two women standing in fromt a Park People table
Cindy Hashie and Ayesha Talreja at the Arts in the Parks Kick-off event in 2023.

Mark your calendars! Here are a few of Cindy and Ayesha’s recommendations for the 2025 Arts in the Parks season:

From Weeds We Grow

July 12 & 13, Aug 9, Sept 6 2025 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Rowntree Mills Park

Exploring the intersections of nature, community arts and wellness, this public art program will share crafting and movement sessions, led by STEPS Public Art alongside local and Indigenous creators, to reconnect with the land and the Humber River. Learn more

Modal Music in the Park

August 16 & 23, 2025, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | R.V. Burgess Park

Enjoy music from the Middle East, Mediterranean, South Asia, and more! Four different musical groups will perform modal music, a centuries-old system of music-making practiced by many cultures, with contemporary interpretations and new compositions. Learn more.

The Description-Rich Story Hour

September 27, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Lee Lifeson Art Park

Artists will tell original stories inspired by the land and public artwork of Lee Lifeson Art Park, using descriptive and inclusive language that is accessible to a Blind and partially sighted audience. Participants will also experience a touch tour of the public artworks and 3D tactile models of the park. The Story Hour will be recorded live and released on the Described Toronto podcast. Learn more.

In 2025, 72 community groups and organizations across the country are receiving TD Park People Grants. They’ll be bringing people together in parks and green spaces through creative, inclusive, and environmentally focused events.

Their initiatives highlight the many ways local leaders are building stronger connections to nature and community from coast to coast.

Organizations in Alberta

Edmonton

Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton (OFRE)

Sinkunia Community Development Organisation

Strathearn Community League

Windsor Park Community League

Calgary

Pamir Canadian Multiculturalism Council

Skatelife Calgary

Spectrum Promising Association

Springboard Performance Society

Organizations in British Columbia

Metro Vancouver

Birding Buddies

Briarpatch Community Garden

East Richmond Community Association

Everett Crowley Park Committee

Free the Fern Stewardship Society

La Boussole centre communautaire société

Ladybug Community Garden

Middle Eastern Support Women Group

Native Bee Society of British Columbia

Pollinating Butterflyway Urban Gardens

RedRoadRecovery

The Sustainable Act

WESN in the Park

Wild with Nature

Kelowna 

Kelowna Chinese United Association

Saanich

Accessible Nature Wellness Park Group

Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary

Organizations in Manitoba

Winnipeg

ArtBeat Studio Inc

Kapabamayak Achaak Healing Forest Winnipeg

Seniors for Climate Mb

Winnipeg Ta’alim Community

Organizations in Nova Scotia

Halifax

Gale Force Theatre

Healing Buddha Hermitage

North End Community Garden

The Monthly Cycle

Organizations in Ontario

Greater Toronto 

Charlie’s Free Wheel

Children’s Creative Village

Friends of Marita Payne Park

Friends of Tom Riley Park

Georgina Island First Nation 

Humber River Lodge Volunteer Group 

Lovers of Planet Earth 

Our Space

Queer Forest Club

Sweet Grass Roots Collective

The Forgiveness Project 

Ysabel Project

Guelph

Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group

Hamilton

Pamoja

Kitchener

Weaving Community Connections in Civic Centre Kitchener 

Ottawa

Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau

Neighbours of Meadowvale Park 

Ottawa Stewardship Council-KN Regens

Women of Colour Remake Wellness

Thunder Bay

Age BIG

Waterloo

Green Harmony Collective 

MacGregor-Albert Community Association

Organizations in Quebec

Greater Montreal

Action-vert 

Atelier Tlachiuak

Coalition des ami·es du parc Jarry (CAP Jarry)

Innovation Youth

La Grande Tablée de Terrasse-Vaudreuil

La Planète s’invite au Parlement

Mossy Society

Parc Nature MHM

Parcours Âme

Ruelle des Décou-verte

Ruelle Esperanza Verde

Westhaven Community Center

Gatineau

Chez les Simone, tiers-lieu

Horti-cité

Quebec City

Club L’Aval

R.A.F.A.L.: Ressources Actions Familles au Lac St-Charles

Organizations in Saskatchewan

Saskatoon

Saskatoon Climate Hub

Parks are not “nice to have,” they are critical social, health, and environmental infrastructure for Toronto. City parks are lifelines in extreme heat waves. Social connectors in an age of increasing polarization. Keepers of biodiversity despite ever fragmenting urban landscapes. 

To meet the biggest challenges we face in Toronto—climate change, biodiversity loss, social polarization, rising inequality—we need whole new ways to plan, design, manage, program, and govern parks. This shift requires doing things differently. It requires ensuring proper funding, sharing decision-making power, addressing inequities head-on, and prioritizing action on truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. 

As Toronto faces the upcoming mayoral by-election in June, we urge candidates for Mayor to accelerate the transition to a more equitable, resilient future for city parks by working with us on the ideas presented in this platform.  

Money Matters

Credit: Jeff Tessier – Amateur Athletic Association, Hamilton.

All of the ideas in this platform require us to invest more time and money into city parks. In our 2022 survey of residents of Canadian cities, 87% said they support more investment in parks.

Responsible for 60% of Canada’s infrastructure, municipalities like Toronto receive only 10 cents on every tax dollar. 

And, the provincial government’s drastic changes to park levies and planning rules under Bill 23 will further diminish park budgets and reduce the amount of parkland created to support new growth. 

All three levels of government, each of which have responsibilities for our natural environment and human health, need to come to the table. This is easier said than done. The multiple benefits of parks—health, environmental, social, economic—actually make it harder to invest at the scale we need to. Why? Because the benefits of investing in parks are distributed across many different ministries and government departments, each of which are accountable for their own budgets and plans. That is why we need to support governments to pursue an ambitious, whole-of-government approach to investment in Toronto parks.

Investing more in city parks is not an imposition or an obligation. It is an opportunity to transform Toronto for the better. 

  

Invest in the co-benefits of parks for climate resilience and adaptation, nature connection, and biodiversity

What we know:  Ontario Place must remain a Public Waterfront Park

Big dome near water
Credit: Ontario Place, Toronto, Clémence Marcastel, August 2021

  • Ontario Place is a beautiful, free, open and accessible waterfront park that is used by more than a million people every year. With Toronto already facing challenges meeting the essential green space needs of its growing population, it is vital to keep Ontario Place a public park.  
  • And yet this amazing public asset is now at risk with the provincial government’s plan to relocate the Ontario Science Centre and push forward the development of a massive, unaffordable, 85,000 square metre private spa supported by well over half a billion dollars in taxpayer money including a 2,000 car underground garage. 
  • This redevelopment proposal will lead to the destruction of 850 trees and natural habitats, which runs counter to municipal and federal climate goals and commitment to halt biodiversity loss.  

Policy Directions:

  • Toronto must pressure the provincial government to reverse its plans and use every policy tool at its disposal to stop the spa development and keep Ontario Place a public park. Public interest, not commercial interest, must drive a new vision for Ontario Place. 

Further reading:

What we Know: Parks Mitigate Climate Impacts and are key to Toronto Climate Adaptation

People walking in ravines
Credit: Marleeville Collective and Lee’s Indigenous Boutique event (InTO the Ravines grantees), Bonnyview Ravine, Toronto.

People living in Toronto will need to adapt to hotter, wetter and more unpredictable climates. Climate change is here and is already impacting our city. With the right investment, parks can serve as climate infrastructure and provide people with critical places of refuge in hot, dense cities where a major health crisis is unfolding. 

  • Toronto’s summers are only expected to get hotter, which will lead to more heat-related deaths. This will disproportionately impact lower income, racialized communities that have fewer and lower quality green spaces.
  • The time when parks could be a few trees and grassy fields is past. We must update how we plan and design parks to better equip them to help us mitigate and adapt to climate change. Toronto has some great examples to draw from like Corktown Common, which is designed to manage flooding. But these parks are the exception, not the rule.

At the same time, people are seeking out nature more for its mental and physical health benefits. People want more places to experience nature close to home: 71% of survey respondents said they value visiting naturalized spaces within a 10-minute walk of home, such as a native plant garden or small meadow. In fact, 87% of respondents said they were in favour of more native plant species within parks—the second most requested amenity after public washrooms. Toronto’s Ravine Strategy offers a strong road-map for ensuring these vital, biodiverse natural habitats are safeguarded for the future and enjoyed by residents, but funding has remained limited. 

Policy Directions: 

Invest in the co-benefits of naturalized spaces as climate resilience infrastructure, urban biodiversity habitat and vital nature connections in Toronto. 

  • Accelerate funding for the Ravine Strategy with a focus on:
    • Critical restoration projects to ensure biodiversity and natural habitats are safeguarded.
    • Increasing accessibility and wayfinding through new and improved access points, signage, maps, and education about how to explore the ravines safely while respecting sensitive habitats.
    • Investment in ravine programming to help communities connect to nature in the ravines safely, which could include funding for community leaders to devise local initiatives.
  • Create more naturalized spaces close to where people live, such as native plant gardens and mini-meadows, to increase nature connection, climate resilience, and urban biodiversity. Include:
    • Funding for stewardship and educational opportunities in collaboration with Indigenous peoples and organizations who hold knowledge about these plants and how they fit into a larger kinship network of species. 
    • Prioritization for investments in equity-deserving neighbourhoods that have lower levels of green space and tree canopy.
  • Adopt publicly available climate resilience standards as part of every municipal Request for Proposals for new or redesigned Toronto parks. Standards should include:
    • Standards for rainwater capture and reuse (e.g., bioswales, permeable pavers).
    • Percentage of naturalized space, tree canopy coverage, and native plants.
    • On-site educational opportunities (e.g., signage, programming).

Further reading:

Fund core amenities and prioritize equity-deserving communities 

What we Know: Parks in Toronto’s Equity-Deserving Communities are Under Resourced

People sharing a meal in a park
Credit: Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network, RV Burgess Park, Toronto, 2022.

There is a clear and growing disparity in who has access to quality green spaces in Toronto. As COVID laid bare, equity-deserving communities face complex, interrelated health crises. Toronto must recognize how race, income and the built environment conspire to make parks a pressing environmental justice issue in our city.

  • Park planning has long tracked development growth to guide investment. This has led to a growing disparity between who has access to quality green spaces and who does not because it ignores other important factors like income levels and climate change impacts. 
  • While Toronto started to move forward with an equity framework in the 2019 Parkland Strategy, concrete actions still remain limited. Recent research shows that neighbourhoods with higher proportions of racialized and lower income residents don’t have the same access to quality green spaces as whiter, wealthier neighbourhoods in Toronto. 

Park Policy Directions:

  • Equity frameworks must be embedded into park plans, and resources must be focused on equity-deserving communities where there has been historic underinvestment in parks. The following data should be used and made transparent to direct new park investments:
    • Income
    • Race and ethnicity (e.g., proportion of racialized residents)
    • Climate justice (e.g,. tree canopy coverage, urban heat islands)
    • Public health (e.g., chronic disease prevalence, mental health indicators)
    • Housing type/tenure (e.g., apartments, single-family houses)
    • Historical investment and disinvestment patterns 
  • In Toronto, the 2019 Parkland Strategy includes new measures such as income, but in order to create transparency and accountability, Toronto should follow Vancouver’s lead in not only collecting richer data, but making the information readily accessible to communities to help guide investment.

What we Know: Lack of Basic Amenities in Toronto Parks Restricts Use 

Usable parks are the bar for entry. Toronto’s parks maintenance and operating budget has not kept pace with use and demand. There’s an urgent need to increase park operating budgets to ensure basic amenities like bathrooms and water are standard in every single Toronto park.

Broken bench
Credit: High Park, Toronto, Clémence Marcastel
  • In Toronto, park washrooms are frequently closed in the winter and locked early in the summer. This failure restricts park use and contributes to accessibility barriers. Toronto has just 6.4 washrooms per 100,000, less than half the national average of 13.1. Of the 178 washrooms available, only 45 are open in the winter. 
  • Drinking fountains are dormant until late June even though our changing climate means we experience warmer weather earlier. Anger around this reached a boiling point this summer.

Park Policy Directions:

Spending on park operating budgets must start to keep pace with demand. It is basic: amenities like bathrooms and water must be the standard in every single Toronto park, with a priority focus on equity-deserving and high-use parks. Investments in basic amenities that promote park use must include: 

  • All-season washroom access with longer open hours.
  • Working water fountains & bottle fill-up stations. 
  • Daily maintenance including garbage removal and basic repairs.
  • Rain-shelter and shade structures to support all-weather use. 

Further reading:

Updated Park Governance is Key to Inclusive Parks   

There is an urgent need for new models of Toronto Park governance rooted in shared decision-making power. We need a new way of managing city parks that are more inclusive, and community-focused, and respect the land rights of Indigenous peoples and the knowledge of communities. 

What we Know: Unhoused Toronto Constituents Deserve Humane Treatment in Parks

Tagged bench
Credit: Bench with centre bars to prevent lying down in Winchester Park Toronto
  • We found that nearly two-thirds of city residents who noticed a park encampment did not feel it negatively impacted their personal use of parks.
  • There is no easy answer to park encampments, but we know there are alternatives to the violent encampment clearances we saw in Toronto in the summer of 2021. In 2021, City Council rejected a motion to co-create a strategy with encampment residents—this was a mistake.

Policy Directions:

  • Toronto must fulfill its human rights obligations to people sheltering in parks as outlined in the UN National Protocol for Encampments in Canada—and as Toronto organizations called for in a joint statement. The city needs to act on the Ombudsman’s recommendations.
  • Toronto must develop an encampment strategy in collaboration with unhoused residents and community partners. The strategy can guide decision-making on park issues affecting unhoused communities, identifying core values such as harm reduction, reconciliation, and leadership of people with lived experience. 

What we Know: Truth and Reconciliation Must be Advanced in Toronto Parks

5 people standing with a log "Turtle protectors"
Credit: High Park Turtle Protectors, High Park, Toronto.
  • Toronto has taken positive steps with the adoption of a “place-keeping” strategy and engagement with Indigenous peoples in the Toronto Island Park Master Plan. There are also some excellent recommendations for supporting reconciliation in parks in Toronto’s recently passed Reconciliation Action Plan. But concrete resources and action plans must be created to move forward with deeper collaboration and shared stewardship, applying practices already being implemented in Canadian municipalities

Policy Directions:

  • Begin to work immediately with communities to implement and fully fund the recommendations for parks in the Reconciliation Action Plan
  • Expand commitments to working with treaty & territorial partners, urban Indigenous communities and organizations to explore co-management and collaborative governance opportunities in Toronto, including funding for this work.
  • Establish co-management and collaborative governance initiatives with treaty & territorial partners, urban Indigenous communities and organizations in Toronto, which include:
    • Shared decision-making in park management (e.g., permitting)
    • Maintenance practices and stewardship (e.g., plant care)
    • Park (re)naming, programming, and cultural use
    • Park planning and design practices

What we Know: Power Sharing Impacts Communities

A man planting a plant
Credit: TD Park People Grants, Friends of Corktown Common, Corktown, Toronto.

Over the past several years, communities have been actively working to decentralize power in institutional spaces. It is time for Toronto to give communities more decision-making power on the park issues that affect them most, particularly in equity-deserving communities.  

  • A dismal 22% of residents of Canadian cities said they felt they had a voice in influencing decision-making about their local park. 
  • New strategies are needed to ensure people feel able to get involved, including overhauling confusing and costly permits for community programming.
  • The work of Toronto’s park consultation staff on a more meaningful engagement strategy is certainly a step in the right direction, but it’s just the beginning.

Policy Directions:

  • Co-create neighbourhood-level park plans with Toronto residents and community organizations that:
    • Identify opportunities for park improvements, acquisitions, and programming within a defined local area.
    • Examine both the quantity and quality (e.g., amenities, cultural relevance) of public space and opportunities for how parks can contribute to social cohesion.
    • Include all publicly accessible open spaces (e.g. parks, streets, laneways, schoolyards, hydro corridors, etc.).
    • Prioritize “quick start” projects to implement first or trial during the development of the plan so action is not held up.
  • Break down barriers for community programming and offer more targeted support, including:
    • Remove park permit fees for equity-deserving communities as well as all Indigenous programming and cultural ceremonies.
    • Designate a staff contact for engagement with community park groups to facilitate programming opportunities.
    • Reduce barriers to community-based economic development in parks (e.g., local markets, fresh food stands, culturally responsive food kiosks/cafes) through grants, reduced permits, or free/reduced leases.
  • Deepen engagement opportunities and longer-term community involvement:
    • Incorporate discussions of social life and cultural practices into park consultations.
    • Employ local residents to co-lead engagement processes.
    • Fund a community programming plan for after the ribbon is cut.

Residents of Canada should be prepared to feel the heat as our climate warms up at twice the global rate. Unfortunately, this means extreme heat events will become hotter, longer, and increasingly commonplace, which does not bode well for our cities. Because of urban heat island – a phenomenon where metropolitan areas experience higher temperatures than outlying areas due to factors like limited greenery and waste heat from densely-packed people –urbanites will feel the heat more than others. 

At this time, we should be looking at our cities for solutions  – specifically, our parks. Natural landscapes, like parks, mitigate urban heat islands by creating cooler microclimates, which help shield us from the sweltering heat. 

In this resource, Park People will outline ways to help you host events in your local parks during extreme heat events. 

Who Gets to Cool Down?

Recent research shows that racialized and lower-income neighbourhoods in Canada often have less access to quality green spaces than wealthier, whiter areas—and are more exposed to urban heat islands. Even commuting to a park can involve unexpected barriers. 

When access to parks is limited, staying cool in summer becomes a matter of health equity, one that puts already marginalized communities at greater risk.


Two black people animating a roller skating event
Source: Melanin Skate Crew, McCowan Park, Toronto.

Beat the heat with these tips and tricks

Here are some general guidelines to remember when organizing your park event when it’s hot outside: 

  • Limit outdoor activities to before 10 AM and after 4 PM when the sun’s UV radiation is the weakest. Spend the hottest part of the day in air-conditioned places, like libraries or community centers. 
  • Make sure to provide sheltered areas (e.g. tree canopies and tents) for guests to take refuge from the sun.  
  • Request guests to wear light-coloured, loose-fitting, and thin clothing! You could provide or ask attendants to bring wide-brim hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and umbrellas for protection.
  • Prevent sunburns because they compromise the body’s ability to cool down. Advise guests to reapply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every two hours. 
  • Look for humidexes when checking local weather forecasts because they describe how hot people will feel. 
  • Practice responsible stewardship. Park staff have reported having to clean up massive amounts of trash, so please remember that part of enjoying nature includes cleaning up. 

Don’t forget about food & beverages

Providing refreshing food and drinks is a great way to ensure guests stay happy, healthy, and hydrated. When drafting your menu, here are some considerations to keep at the back of your mind: 

  • Have a hydration station with access to water, sports drinks, and other beverages.
    • Remind your guests not to wait until they feel thirsty to take a sip of water! Health authorities recommend drinking six to eight glasses of water per day. 
    • Drink two to four glasses of water every hour if you exercise or do strenuous work in the heat.
    • Bring produce with high water content, such as oranges and tomatoes, which can be another source of hydration. 
  • Set up near a park water fountain for easy access to an unlimited water source. However, remember to make sure other park-goers can also access the fountain. See below for links to maps of water fountain locations. 
  • Try to limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol can be very dehydrating and when coupled with extreme heat, can increase the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. If you will be drinking, opt for beverages with lower alcohol content, like light beers and ciders. 
  • Remember that sweating can lead to a loss of electrolytes. If your event lasts longer than an hour, consider providing snacks with minerals, like magnesium and potassium, or sports drinks for guests to replenish themselves. 

Make sure meals and snacks are kept at the correct temperature to prevent food-borne illnesses and stop food from spoiling quickly in the heat. Check out Canada’s food safety website for ways to correctly and safely handle food stuffs.

People enjoying summer in a park
Source: Park People, Ross Park, Vancouver.

Keep an eye out for heat-related illness

With extreme heat events also comes heat-related illness – when the body becomes hotter faster than it can cool down. Luckily, heat-related illness is preventable, so it is essential that you take the time to understand and prepare for it. 

  • Familiarize yourselves with heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms, and stay vigilant. Regularly check in with children, people with chronic illnesses, and seniors because they may be more vulnerable. Here’s a poster from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health Safety and a link from the Canadian Red Cross. 
  • Remember to also check in with your volunteers, staff members, and event organizers to ensure they get enough breaks, keep cool, and stay hydrated, and remember to set some time aside for yourself as well! 
  • Have a medical emergency plan that covers access to medical assistance and shaded areas and identifies the nearest indoor cool spaces. See below for links. 
  • Have a contingency plan in case of air pollution from wildfire season or the heat worsens. You may have to be flexible and ready to move indoors, postpone, or even cancel your event. 
  • Bring a first aid kit with supplies to treat heat exhaustion, such as a cooler stocked with bottles of cool water, DIY misters using spray bottles, and cooling gel or ice packs. 
  • For more information, refer to these heat-related illness guides from the B.C., Ontario, and Québec governments. 

Municipal and National Resources: 

Leading up to the event, consult local weather forecasts and advisories. It may also be a good idea to get a lay of the land and determine where amenities are in the park. Here are a few resources to help with planning: 

Vancouver

  • Website for maps of misting stations, cooling centres, and more 
  • Map of water fountains, handwashing stations, and misting stations

Toronto

  • Map of washrooms and sources of potable water 
  • Map that lets you filter out locations by available amenities (water fountains, pools, community centers, etc.)

Montréal 

  • Map of misting stations, cooling centres, and more 

National 

  • For Environment Canada public weather alerts, check out this link
  • For weather alerts and advisories, visit the Alertable website.

When you think of a park, what do you see? Maybe it’s children chasing a soccer ball, picnics on sunny afternoons, or joggers winding down leafy trails. But at Park People, we know that the quietest stories can be the most powerful—and that parks hold untapped potential to change lives, especially for seniors.

It may surprise you to learn that seniors—who make up nearly 20% of Canada’s population—represent just 4% of park users. That’s a missed opportunity, because the benefits are profound. According to a study by CARP, living near a park reduces loneliness in seniors at a rate four times greater than even having children.

That’s where Park People’s Senior Park Champions program in Metro Vancouver comes in.

Every year, we support a group of inspiring older adults in Metro Vancouver to reclaim their place in nature by leading events in their local parks. With hands-on training, peer mentorship, and seed funding, each Senior Champion becomes a spark in their community—fostering belonging, joy, and wellness one gathering at a time.

2024 Park Senior Champions. Credit: Park People

And the impact? It’s nothing short of transformative.

Take Rita Wong, for example. When she joined the program, she wasn’t expecting just how deeply it would affect her. “It improved my physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being,” she said. “It was beyond words.” Through the program, Rita didn’t just find personal growth—she became a vibrant community leader, organizing park events.. Her efforts didn’t stop at the boundaries of a single program; they rippled outward, energizing her entire neighbourhood.

Then there’s C. Wong, whose first year as a Champion in 2023 offered a powerful window into the importance of intergenerational and cross-cultural connection. Hosting events that brought together Indigenous community members and local seniors in East Vancouver, C. Wong saw firsthand how nature could serve as a meeting ground for healing and unity—even through the rain. Inspired, they returned the following year as a mentor in 2024, championing inclusivity for differently abled individuals and those of non-normative gender identities.

“It deepened my understanding of the barriers people face, and strengthened my commitment to building truly inclusive communities.”

C. Wong, Park Senior Champions in 2023

Butterfly Garden event organized by Dennis Josey, 2024 Park Senior Champion.

And innovation didn’t stop there.

One particularly heartwarming initiative emerged last year when a group of senior leaders asked a simple but powerful question: What about those who can’t come to the park? Their answer was beautifully creative. Using natural elements, sensory materials, calming sounds, and projected visuals, they brought nature indoors, creating immersive environments for individuals with disabilities who were unable to join outdoor activities. These gentle, multi-sensory experiences offered participants a chance to feel the forest floor, listen to birdsong, and gaze at blooming meadows—all from within the comfort of their own spaces.

These indoor sessions became some of the most popular events in the program, drawing up to 30 participants each time. Their success highlights not just a growing demand for accessible nature-based programming, but also the ingenuity of community-led solutions rooted in empathy. These Champions proved that you don’t have to be outside to feel connected to nature—you just have to be welcomed in.

To date, 30 Senior Champions have engaged 600+ seniors across Metro Vancouver in inclusive, meaningful ways. And this year, it could be your turn.

As a Senior Park Champion, you’ll receive:

  • A $600 honorarium
  • Three in-depth training workshops
  • Seed funding for supplies, guest speakers, or refreshments
  • Ongoing support and mentorship
  • Access to Park People’s network and grant opportunities

You’ll have the freedom to create events that reflect your passions—be it Tai Chi under the trees, birdwatching mornings, knitting circles, Indigenous plant walks, art in the park, or cozy indoor nature retreats. Whatever your vision, we’re here to help you bring it to life.

Because the Senior Champion Program is more than events. It’s a movement of older adults reclaiming their place as leaders, connectors, and caretakers of community and nature.

People sitting in a forest
Forest bathing event organized by Tamiko Suzuki, 2024 Park Senior Champion.

Apply now to become a Senior Park Champion—and help make your neighbourhood a little more connected, inclusive, and vibrant.

“When we make space for seniors in our parks, we grow more than community—we grow care.”

Michelle Cutts, Director of Communications and Development

Each year, we support twenty Champions, working in pairs, with training and support to help them host their own events in Toronto’s ravines.

Meet the 2025 Champions, and hear why they love and care about the ravines.

Miriam Hawkins

“I love to leave the city behind when I enter the fresh air and cool embrace of the Humber River ravine around Lambton Woods, a sanctuary for birds, toads, insects and other wildlife with its rare natural forest cover and wetlands, and the ever-changing marvel of the river’s  sparkling waters flowing from a vast, ancient, yet urbanized landscape toward our own water source at Lake Ontario. You might even see huge salmon or trout leaping nearby weirs, or a shy snowy egret fishing secret eddies. Much inspires my photo and painting attempts, and my restored resolve to share this precious delight with others, along  with the need to address outdated storm water runoff and sewage pollution management and the serious threat of highway 413 paving over the heart of the river’s western headwaters.”

Mike Mattos

“My favorite ravine is the east side of the Humber River north of Eglinton.  The area has naturally regenerated for 70 years and is a testament to the restorative powers of the land.”

“Ravines are the earth’s quiet sanctuary, where the rush of the world slows down, and the soul finds its rhythm in the stillness. In their embrace, the land heals, and so do we.”

Christen Kong
Felix Kwong
Aragsan Jibreal

“Amid the city’s restless hum, the Don River East Trail unfolds like a quiet sanctuary—where towering trees soften the skyline, the river whispers its timeless song, and nature reclaims its space, undisturbed yet ever-changing.”

Naomi Drayton

“The Betty Sutherland Trail runs for 1.83 kilometers from Leslie Street and Sheppard Avenue to Duncan Mills Road and Don Mills Road. The park is named after a long-time city councilor who was active in supporting Toronto’s recreational areas and trails.”

“Within close proximity of residents throughout our great city, there’s a hidden gem—our amazing ravine system. Ravines are nature’s hidden masterpieces, carved by time and adorned with life.”

Joshua Hood

“What I love about my local ravine is accessibility and its expansiveness.  I can enter and exit at so many points along the trails, which means I can travel from my home north of the city right down to Lake Ontario with only minor diversions (sometimes I have to cross a main street but the trail access is within close proximity).  It’s quite amazing that, in Toronto, you can travel in all directions for many kilometres through the ravine system.”

Marion Comper
Darlene Varaleau

“What I love about Bickford Park is meeting my neighbours for exercises; talking to people as I work in the pollinator garden; picnicking; and watching the lunar eclipse with everyone. I also love showing everyone the best indigenous murals in Toronto in the Bickford underpass”

Marylin Spearin

“I am very impressed by the variety of experiences available  in the Garrison  ravine. The busy vigour of Christie Pits (swimming, softball, barbecue pits, and the like) contrasted with the serenity of Bickford Park with greenery, benches, and indigenous art.”

“I love the calmness and natural beauty of my local ravine.  I enjoyed walking in the park. It gives me peace of mind.”

Belayneh Ayalew
Robert Moiti
Vera Kabo Tse

“My Ravine allows quiet reflection of space and time collapsed into a moment where you can see the birds in the tree ,while the squirrel runs by and the wind rustles the leaves and branches reminding us of our place as part of nature.”

Teresa Pinto

“What I love about my local ravine is just the fact that It’s quiet and peaceful. I can just sit by the water and meditate with the sound of trickling water and birds chirping. It’s a place to hide from the scorching sun in the summer, crunch the leaves in the fall, look for the flower buds in the spring and just stay put in the winter.”

“Something I love about Birkdale Ravine is how it feels like a hidden gem tucked right in the middle of the city. It’s peaceful, full of life, and has this calming energy that makes it the perfect spot to reconnect with nature, slow down, and reflect. It’s also a place that brings people together, whether you’re out for a walk, snapping photos, or just enjoying the sound of the creek.”

Hazema Wilson

“Birkdale Ravine is a beautiful place that evokes a sense of serenity for me. As an avid biker and stroller, it has always been my favorite go-to spot. This location is one of the perfect places to experience awe and relaxation. With its scenic trails, it’s ideal for reflecting on thoughts or sharing a moment with a loved one. I particularly enjoy the cozy atmosphere and beautiful scenery, surrounded by numerous trees and an elegant bridge!”

Edessa Andrada
Christopher Peterson

“I love how quiet and serene the ravine feels. When I walk through, there is always something new that comes to my attention”

Danielle Ng

“I love being able to feel my mind and body quiet and connect to the earth when I am in my local ravine.”

Learn more about the InTO the Ravines and InTO the Ravines Champions programs, and read about the City of Toronto’s Ravine Strategy.

A picture is truly worth a thousand words. Snapping shots of your park group’s activities can help you attract volunteers, build your social media profile, garner media attention, and make your posters really pop.  

Not a pro photographer? Not to worry! Here are some easy tips to take great pictures with your smartphone. 

Ready, aim, plan

Before you bring out the camera, ask yourself: what story are you trying to tell with your photo? Is it about the natural beauty of your park, the sense of community, or the fun atmosphere at an event?

Thinking about your story will help you come up with a list of images you want to capture. For example, if your goal is to attract new volunteers for your park group, your photos should tell the story of the volunteer experience. Your shot list might include pictures showing current volunteers engaged in hands-on activities in the park, chatting with their neighbours, etc.

While it’s important to stick to your shot list, you’ll also want to leave space for surprises. If your City Councillor shows up, it would be great to grab a snap for the local papers!

Get Permission

Before snapping photos that include people, especially if you plan to share them publicly, it’s important to get consent. A simple verbal ask is often enough: “Hey, is it okay if I take your photo for our park group’s social media?” For children, always ask a parent or guardian first, and avoid taking identifiable photos of kids without their clear permission.

If you’re hosting an event, consider having a sign at the entrance letting people know photos will be taken, and offer a way for folks to opt out (like a sticker or wristband).

People Power

It’s just human nature: we’re naturally drawn towards pictures of people’s faces. Unless your only story goal is to highlight local wildlife, you’ll want to show how your park activities bring people together whenever possible.

Photos where you can clearly see people’s eyes are most likely to attract attention, so seek to use them throughout your promotions (social media posts, posters, etc).

Act Natural

When people aren’t used to having their picture taken, being asked to pose for the camera can make them uncomfortable. Instead of just saying “Smile!”, try giving out unique prompts like “Smile like that dog we saw on the trail!” or “Think about your favourite fellow volunteer!” Unexpected directions can help bring out genuine expressions.

Another great way to help people feel comfortable is to let them see a few shots as you go. If they like what they see, it builds confidence. If not, you can adjust together.

Candid Camera

Posed shots can be a good way to ensure you get everyone in the photo doing exactly what you want, but they also run the risk of looking, well, staged. To really tell the story of your park group or event, you’ll want to add several candid shots to the mix so viewers feel like they’re part of the action.

Aim to take photos of people while they’re focused on something else: like talking to one another, cleaning up the park, whatever!

Get Composed

Beginner photographers commonly place the subject smack in the middle of the photo. While this can be an interesting stylistic choice, we recommend you experiment with using the rule of thirds.

To do so, place your subject (whether it’s a person, a bunch of wildflowers, an animal, whatever) in the right or left third of the frame. Likewise, instead of composing your photo with the land-sky horizon cutting straight through the middle, try giving the sky one-third of the picture.

Shift Perspectives

Remember, your camera is your point of view. If you take a photo while standing normally with the camera near your face, the viewer of the resulting photos will have the same perspective—and it’s one they likely have all the time.

To make things more interesting, try switching up your perspective. Crouch down low, get up on a rock or bench or take a few steps up a hill to get above your subject. These techniques can help create a sense of scale and reveal more of the background of your image.

Make light work for you

The best photos use light strategically to brighten peoples’ faces and highlight their features. Use natural light when you can and always shoot with light behind you, not facing into the light.

Sunshine is a great natural light source, but direct sunlights can also throw harsh light and shadows, particularly in the middle of the afternoon. If it’s a very sunny day, try taking photos in the shade to soften the shadows.

One hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset is known as the “magic hour.” During these times the sun is low in the sky, which produces a beautiful soft light. One thing to keep in mind while shooting during “magic hour” is how fast the light changes. You definitely want to factor in any set-up time to ensure you take advantage of magic hour.

Edit and Adjust

Took some great photos, but maybe the lighting was a little off? Not to worry, you don’t need fancy software to make your photos pop. Free tools like Canva make it easy to crop, brighten, and add text or filters right from your phone or computer. 

After the event, choose a handful of your best shots and spend a few minutes adjusting the lighting, straightening the horizon, or adding your park group’s name and event title. It’s best to keep it simple: your goal is to enhance the photo, not overdo it. 

Finding volunteers doesn’t have to feel like an uphill battle. With a little intention and care, your group can create a welcoming volunteer experience that keeps people coming back.

Doug Bennet from Friends of Sorauren Park has spent years supporting and growing the park group’s base of active volunteers. Here are some of his top tips to create an engaged, connected, and joyful volunteer team.

Make volunteer recruitment an ongoing priority

Early on in their work together, Doug and the Friends of Sorauren Park realized that volunteer outreach kept falling to the bottom of their agenda. To change that, they began dedicating entire meetings to honing their recruitment and volunteer engagement strategies.

This intentional focus helped them to build and maintain a strong and diverse core team that’s now large enough to pull off big park events without tiring out their members.

Here are some prompting questions to help kick off your volunteer recruitment strategy meeting:

Who are we looking to reach?
Who are our ideal volunteers? What skills, interests, or lived experiences would be valuable? Are there people in our neighbourhood or network who might love to help but haven’t been asked? Are there barriers that might be preventing people from getting involved (childcare, accessibility, communication style)? If so, how could we reduce these barriers? What’s the time commitment we require, and how can we also include people with busier schedules?

How will we find them?
Where do potential volunteers spend their time (either online or in-person)? How can we show up there? What stories, images, or messages might catch someone’s attention and inspire them to get involved?

How will we make volunteering feel welcoming and worthwhile? How will we make it clear what volunteers can expect and how they can help? What would help people feel confident and connected right away? How will we ask volunteers for feedback and ideas to improve their experience?

Make it easy for people to join your team

Now that you know who you’re looking for, and what they’ll be doing, you’re ready to plan your outreach activities.  

Think about the places your neighbours already spend time (such as community bulletin boards, local social media groups, farmers’ markets, libraries, or park events) and share a friendly, specific invitation to join your group. Use photos and stories that show what volunteering looks like, so people can picture themselves getting involved. Includes clear next steps like signing up for a newsletter or attending an upcoming event. The goal is to create lots of easy entry points for people to connect with your group.

You may want to test out a couple of approaches depending on your community, your capacity, and the technology you have available. For example, Friends of Sorauren Park first created a message board for volunteers, but found that they weren’t getting much traction.  They swapped the message board for a simple sign-up form and noticed an increase in volunteer interest.

Create a welcoming first impression

First impressions go a long way. A warm in-person introduction, a simple orientation email, or an invite to a casual planning meeting can all help set the tone for why someone would want to volunteer with you. Giving people a sense of what to expect also makes it easier for them to step in and feel like part of the team.

To make sure everyone feels properly welcomed, consider starting a Volunteer Ambassadors Program. Doug’s group has seen the value of experienced volunteers stepping up to welcome and mentor new folks. Ambassadors can help answer questions, share their knowledge, and create a positive first experience for newcomers.

Encourage connection and community

Over time, Doug noticed that volunteers who felt socially connected to the group were more likely to stay involved. Creating opportunities for people to get to know each other helps turn volunteering into something more meaningful than just a task. This could look like hosting a potluck, organizing a group photo at an event, or setting up a casual chat thread where people can share ideas and stay in touch.

Support new leaders

As your group grows, some volunteers will naturally want to take on bigger roles. It helps to plan for this and encourage their development by creating opportunities to build their skills and confidence over time. Workshops, training sessions, or even informal mentoring can help volunteers feel valued and supported.

Doug saw this in action at Friends of Sorauren Park. When he stepped down as Chair, long-time volunteer Joël Campbell was ready to step into the role. Joël had already led the group’s Adopt-A-Park-Tree program for several years, which gave him experience and built trust with the group. Because of this, the transition into leadership felt smooth and natural for Joël and for the whole team.
It’s great practice to continually consider who might take over when current leaders step away from the group, and then make sure they have the tools to do so with confidence.

Show Your Appreciation

You really can’t thank volunteers enough. Doug and the Friends of Sorauren Park make a point of highlighting volunteers in their communications, and they’ve also partnered with a local sponsor to host volunteer appreciation events.

Depending on the size of your group recognition might look different. If you’re not able to coordinate an event, consider posting photos on social media, sharing quotes from volunteers in a newsletter, or creating a simple infographic to show the impact of their work.

Recognition helps volunteers feel seen and reminds everyone that their time and efforts matter.

Thanks to Doug at Friends of Sorauren Park for the great insights that come from years of successful work with volunteers! 

Fundraising is a great way to build the capacity of your community park group. Below are some key national grants that could help fund your next awesome park project.

At the bottom of the resource are options for more specific provincial and municipal grants. 

Environmental Grants and Funding

Catherine Donnelly Foundation
Funds projects that increase public support for fast and deep-reaching climate change solutions. Learn more

Climate Action and Awareness Fund
Supports Canadian-made projects that help to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more

Community Tree Grants Canada
Offers grants and technical support to community greening initiatives on publicly-accessible properties. Learn more

TD Park People Grants
Supports local leaders organize events focused on environmental education, sustainability, or stewardship. Learn more

EcoAction Community Funding Program
Provides financial support to non-profit and non-government organizations for Canadian communities to take on local action-based projects that produce measurable, positive effects on the environment and to build the capacity of communities to sustain these activities in the future. Learn more

Patagonia Corporate Grants
Supports local groups that work to preserve the environment and protect local habitats and frontline communities. Learn more

Richardson Foundation
Offers to fund charitable organizations that support youth initiatives and environmental issues. Learn more

Scotts Canada Gro For Good Grants
Supports community groups to develop sustainable gardens and green spaces in their communities. Learn more

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
Funds community work and park improvement projects through operating and capital grants. Learn more

Honda Canada Foundation (HCF)
Funds educational institutions, charitable non-profit organizations or any national institution in the fields of family, environment, engineering and education. Learn more

Community Building Grants and Funding

Meridian Good Neighbour Program
Forges partnerships with local charities, not-for-profits, and public organizations so they can work together to meet each community’s needs. Learn more

TakingItGlobal Rising Youth
Supports youth to participate in and becoming key stakeholders in strengthening global and local social movements. Learn more

Telus Community Grant
Funds initiatives from Canadian registered charities that focus on local, grassroots community-based health and education programs that help youth reach their full potential. Learn more

Public Art Grants and Funding

Canadian Arts Council
Supports professional art groups and non-profit organizations working in community parks and public spaces. Learn more

Heritage Canada – Local Festivals – Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
Funds local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, artisans or heritage performers. This includes the celebration of LGBTQ2+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations. Learn more

Richardson Foundation
Funds registered Canadian charitable organizations that support visual and performing arts, education, youth initiatives. Learn more

Recreation Grants and Funding

Canada Post Community Foundation
Supports organizations and groups in delivering and expanding child and youth programming, including sports and healthy living initiatives. Learn more

Canadian Tire Jumpstart/Bon départ Community Development Grant
The operational stream assists organizations with operational and administrative costs. The programming stream helps organizations develop or sustain sports and recreational programming for kids in financial need and youth with disabilities. Learn more

ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge
Encourages Canadians to get active in search of Canada’s Most Active Community. Learn more

Medavie Active Living Grant
Encourages access to physical activity with a focus on supporting increased participation across a population. Learn more

Equity and Social Justice Grants and Funding

Indigenous Youth Roots Creation Grants 
Supports youth-led projects seeking to create impactful community change and increase the wellness, resiliency and engagement of Indigenous youth. Learn more

CRRF’s National Anti-Racism Fund

Strengthens the capacity of racialized communities, religious minority groups and Indigenous people to carry out their own work to combat racism and create opportunities for meaningful dialogue, learning and sharing with the broader public. Learn more

Heritage Canada – Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program
Provides funding to community-based events that promote intercultural or interfaith understanding, promote discussions on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination, or celebrate a community’s history and culture such as heritage months recognized by Parliament. Learn more

Hydro Flask Parks for All
Supports nonprofit organizations focused on building, maintaining, restoring, and providing more equitable access to parks. Learn more

National Healing Forest Initiative

Supports groups or organizations to develop a healing forest in their community – a dedicated forest, garden, or green space – as a place for healing, learning, sharing, and reflection about Canada’s history and the legacy of Indian residential schools. Learn more

Enabling Accessibility Fund

Provides funding to eligible capital projects that creates opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in community activities or access employment opportunities. Learn more

Communities For Gender Equality

Supports women, girl, gender-diverse and Two-Spirit-led and serving organizations to advance gender equality across the country. Learn more

Provincial and Municipal Grants and Funding

Community Foundation Funds
Invests in local initiatives that help to make Canadian communities better places to live, work and play. Click here to find your local Foundation.

British Columbia Grants & Funding
Explore the different grants and funding dedicated to groups and organizations located in B.C. Learn more

Ontario Grants & Funding
Explore the different grants and funding available for groups and organizations located in Ontario. Learn more

Grants & Funding in other Provinces

Alberta:

Nova Scotia:


New Brunswick:

Prince Edward Island:

Manitoba:

Atlantic Canada: