Find out what GIO and its partner organizations are doing to advance green infrastructure. This section highlights relevant research and projects from GIO itself and members of our steering committee. 

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.

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

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:  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.

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.

Partners: University of Toronto and 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.

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.

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.

Partner:  The 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.

Partner: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)

Project: Transforming Neighbourhoods

Year: 2015

Description: A five year program review of green infrastructure strategies used in TRCA’s Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP) retrofit projects.

Partner:  Forests Ontario (formerly Trees Ontario)

Project: A Healthy Dose of Green

Year: 2012

Description: A report which highlights the links between human health and the health of forests (both rural and urban) in Ontario.

Partner:  David Suzuki Foundation

Project: Neighborhood Greenspace and Health in a Large Urban Center

Year: 2015

Description: A published study that examined the relationship between urban trees and human health.

Partner: Ontario Association of Landscape Architects

Initiative: Annual Awards Program that recognizes innovative landscape design projects

Year: Ongoing

Description: In 2016, OALA honoured the West Don Lands project, the Peace Garden at Nathan Phillips Square, the University of Ottawa Campus Master Plan, 230 Sackville (rooftop gardens) and the Bayview Glen Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan. The association also recognized the City of Kitchener’s Cultural Heritage Landscapes , which provides an accessible inventory of local cultural heritage landscapes, as well as City of Toronto’s The Grow More Manual, which offers guidance for community gardening in the city.

Partner: Conservation Ontario

Project: Healthy Hikes

Year: 2016

Description: This campaign encourages citizens to take advantage of local parks and greenspaces owned and managed by conservation authorities by highlighting the many connections between human health and time spent in nature, parks and open areas.