Ontario's Greenbelt is a world-leading law that preserves prime farmland and green spaces around the Greater Golden Horseshoe and is vital to the quality of life of Ontario. The Greenbelt's 1.8 million acres (728,000 hectares) encompasses the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridges Moraine, Rouge Park, agricultural land, pristine forests, wetlands and watersheds, and hundreds of rural towns and villages. It gives us clean water and healthy local food. It's bigger than P.E.I. and, in fact, is the largest Greenbelt in the world.
It saves Ontario taxpayers $2.6 billion per year in environmental services like water filtration and waste treatment. And it provides $5.4 billion to Ontario's economy through farming and its food production.
Over 90% of Ontarians believe the Greenbelt is one of the most important contributions to the future of our Province, and 93% strongly support it. If you live in Southern Ontario or anywhere in the Golden Horseshoe from Niagara to Durham and Northumberland to Lake Simcoe, the Greenbelt is close to you - close enough for an easy day trip. You can see road signs and trail markers indicating when you are in the Greenbelt. There are also detailed maps, reports and a wealth of other materials available at www.greenbelt.ca
You can also visit www.GreenbeltFresh.ca This new and exciting Online Marketplace quickly and easily connects producers, consumers and institutional and commercial buyers with local Greenbelt food and farmers. Free and accessible, the Marketplace supports Greenbelt agriculture and farmers and contributes to building a regional food network in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation is a not-for-profit organization. The Foundation was created to help foster our Greenbelt's possibilities by nurturing and supporting activities that preserve its environment and agricultural integrity.
Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) is the industry-led organization that manages the province-wide program that collects and recycles Ontarios scrap tires, making sure that they are diverted away from landfills and burning and instead are made into useful products like sports fields, hockey arena floors, carpet under padding, roof shingles and car engine components. Through this program illegal tire dumps will be cleaned-up and the more than 10 million tires scrapped-out in Ontario each year will be made in tire-derived products like these that will help make Ontarios economy and environment a bit greener.
The Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA) is the industry driven organization working to advance the province’s 10 year Culinary Tourism Strategy that was published in 2005. OCTA is dedicated to establishing Ontario as an international culinary tourism destination. With the premise that food is the foundation of our culture, culinary tourism experiences offer visitors to our province and it’s regions to taste our multiculturalism along their journey. Building relationships between growers and producers, and chefs and restaurateurs will enable the development of new culinary tourism experiences and ensure a sustainable food culture. OCTA is the organization leading efforts in research, education and product development to build capacity for culinary tourism.
The Ontario Craft Brewers is an association of more than 25 small brewers dedicated to making great tasting, high quality beer in Ontario. The 25 members of the Ontario Craft Brewers brew their beers locally using fresh, all natural ingredients in communities throughout Ontario – from the Ottawa Valley to Waterloo and Niagara to Muskoka. Handcrafting over 150 premium beers, Ontario Craft Brewers employ about 600 people in Ontario, accounting for over 20 per cent of the overall brewing employment in the province. For more information about the Ontario Craft Brewers visit www.ontariocraftbrewers.ca
Open your own Craft Brewery in Hastings County!
A wide open market offers all the attributes for a successful microbrewery – including government support!
• 6 varieties of hops for brewing are cultivated by local farmers
• located within 2 hours of Toronto, Ottawa & NY State
For more information on opening your craft brewery in Hastings County please contact: 866.321.9563 ext.4011 OR VISIT: www.startabrewery.ca