GIO Resources

Find out what GIO and its partner organizations are doing to advance green infrastructure. This page highlights GIO’s research, projects and publications.

Improving Access to Large Parks in Ontario Golden Horseshoe - Policy Planning and Funding Strategies

Partners: Greenbelt Foundation, Ontario Parks Association (OPA), Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)

Project: Improving Access to Large Parks in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe: Policy, Planning, and Funding Strategies

Year: 2022

Description: This report is a follow-up to research published in 2019, the State of Large Parks in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe. This report revisits our analysis of the current and planned large parks in the Golden Horseshoe region with a focus on accessibility and equitable access, as well as proposing strategies to overcome barriers to the equitable funding, planning, and establishment of new large parks in the region, and presenting transferrable models from other jurisdictions.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure Asset Management Resources Toolkit

Partners: Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange (GILE), Southwest Environmental Finance Centre (SWEFC)

Project: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Asset Management Resources Toolkit

Year: 2021

Description: The GSI Asset Management Resources Toolkit project aimed to build upon the free, online Integrated Asset Management Framework for combining green and gray assets into asset management work (launched by SWEFC in 2021) by beta testing it with six municipalities across Canada and the U.S. The Framework was applied to GSI assets that are commonly used within the right-of-way: pervious pavement, bioretention planters, and stormwater trenches, as well as streams, which provide essential stormwater services, resulting in this Toolkit, which includes lessons learned, examples, and case studies for each of the major components of asset management: Levels of Service, Current State of the Assets, Criticality, Life Cycle Costing, and Long-Term Funding.

Advancing Municipal Action on Green Infrastructure

Partners: Greenbelt Foundation, Ontario Parks Association (OPA)

Project: Advancing Municipal Action on Green Infrastructure

Year: 2020

Description: The Advancing Municipal Action on Green Infrastructure Project sought to identify gaps and barriers to the wider implementation of green infrastructure (GI) in the province of Ontario, and also improve the access to resources and tools available to municipal stakeholders.

cover page of green infrastructure sector economic impact assessment report

Partners: Greenbelt Foundation, with support from Landscape Ontario (report prepared by The Delphi Group)

Project: Economic Impact Assessment of the Green Infrastructure Sector in Ontario

Year: 2020

Description: A first-of-its-kind assessment of the scope and economic impact of the green infrastructure sector in Ontario, showing the total jobs, contribution to GDP, and gross output (revenue) of the sector as a whole, as well as of each sub-sector.

READ THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

State of Large Parks Report Cover

Partners:  Greenbelt Foundation, Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)

Project: State of Large Parks in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe

Year: 2019

Description: A report presenting the first regional scale analysis of park supply in the Golden Horseshoe, with a focus on large parks.

Partner: Greenbelt Foundation

Project: A Green Infrastructure Guide for Small Cities, Towns and Rural Communities

Year: 2017

Description: A guide to support small cities, towns and rural settlements with the integration of green infrastructure into their communities.

STATE_OF_THE_URBAN_FOREST_THUMBNAIL

Project: State of the Urban Forest in the Greater Toronto Area

Year: 2016

Description: This report is a landmark effort drawing on data from 17 municipal and regional governments in the Greater Toronto Area to provide a comprehensive overview of the local urban forest. The report identifies the key benefits of the urban forest and outlines the challenges and opportunities associated with maintaining and growing this vital resource.

Project: Ontario’s Urban Forests: Call to Action

Year: 2015

Description: A call to action that outlines the current issues in urban forest management in Ontario, and proposes four strategic priority areas for protecting and enhancing the vital green infrastructure that our urban forests represent.

Urban Forestry Lecture Series Screen Capture

Partners: University of Toronto, Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF)

Project: Urban Forestry Speaker Series

Year: 2014

Description: A video series that shares information about ongoing initiatives related to urban forestry undertaken in New York City.

Green Infrastructure in the City

Project: Green Infrastructure in the City Video Series

Year: 2014

Description: A three part video series that examines the following questions: 1) What is green infrastructure?; 2) Looking for Green Infrastructure; and, 3) Finding more green infrastructure.

HPS_GI

Partner: Ecojustice

Project: Health, Prosperity and Sustainability: The Case for Green Infrastructure in Ontario

Year: 2012

Description: A report that draws on input from diverse stakeholders and existing research to present a strong case for improved policies and investments to support green infrastructure in Ontario.