Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund
The Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund is a Town program that funds innovative and leading environmental initiatives that contribute to the health of the natural environment.

The fund provides financial resources for projects in Markham that promote environmental responsibility and enhance the protection of the Town’s natural resources.

The purpose of the fund is to provide demonstrable, widespread and lasting environmental benefits to the Markham community.

Organizations eligible to apply for the fund include:

• other levels of government
• public agencies
• school boards
• Markham community groups
  • Markham-based community ratepayers associations
  • Conservation groups
  • Scouts, etc. 

Application deadlines are held in the spring and fall of each year. For more information, contact the Manager of Environmental Leadership at 905-477-7000 ext. 7502.

Apply Today!

Environmental Sustainability Fund Guidelines ( 61k/1p)
Spring funding application deadline: Friday, February 12, 2010.

How Do I apply?

Step 1
Carefully review the Environmental Sustainability Fund Guidelines to ensure your group is eligible.

Step 2
Speak with the Manager of Environmental Leadership about your proposed project and obtain an application form.

Step 3
Prepare any supporting information, such as illustrations and maps and attach them to the application form. Sufficient and complete information must be provided with the application for the Environmental Issues Committee to make a decision.

Step 4
Submit your application to the Manager, Environmental Leadership, Town of Markham, Ontario, L3R 9W3. Telephone 905-415-7502, Fax 905-479-7772.

Some successful MESF projects are below:

• Unionville Meadows Zero Waste Award
• 2008 Fund Recipients
• 2007 Fund Recipients
• 2006 Fund Recipients
• The Lunch Express
• Previous Recipients

Zero Waste Award
Unionville Meadows Public School

At Council on June 3, 2009, Jeanette McLellan, teacher, at Unionville Meadows Public School and students received a certificate from Council acknowledging their school's Zero Waste program and provided some musical entertainment as well. The Unionville Meadows P.S. Volunteer Green Team made up of students and staff performed random baseline waste measurements after lunches. An audit performed by Markham's Waste Management Department showed a 64% waste diversion rate. The project is anticipated at achieving 86% diversion rate. Congratulations Unionville Meadows!

Two, 2008 funding projects are highlighted below:

Youth Environmental Network of York Region (YENYR)
Markham Ecofest '09

Markham Ecofest festival, which was organized by highschool students, was held to conincide with Earth Week on April 17th, 2009 and was hosted at the Civic Centre.

The purpose of this festival was to provide demonstrations to the public about sustainable lifestyle choices that Town residents and students of the Town can adopt in their everyday life to provide a lasting environmental benefit.

More than 250 students and teachers were in attendance.

The project included:

• Interactive workshops and booths
• Activities and prizes for "green activism" school presentations
• Environmental speakers and performers

Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA) 
Markham Manufacturer's Sustainability Program - 2009

A staff application was made to fund this program which gives small to medium-sized manufacturers located in Markham the opportunity to conduct a pollution prevention assessment. OCETA is working with Markham staff and business networks to promote participation in the program in 2009.

Youth Environmental Network of York Region (YENYR)
Ecological Action Conference

The purpose of the Ecological Action Conference, held on April 9, 2008, was to increase awareness of environmental issues in Markham and to help students develop and initiate environmental projects in their schools and the community.

Spearheaded by Markham students, the conference was attended by over 300 students and teachers form Markham schools.

The project included:

• guest speakers, including Justin Trudeau, who spoke of environmental issues and the power of youth
• nine workshops informing the students on various environmental issues and methods for implementing change
• a brochure to promote environmental action for Markham youth

The day concluded with schools dedicating themselves to a project to be implemented in 2008 – 2009.

Unionville Meadows Public School
Waste Reduction Project

The Green Team at Unionville Meadows Public School (a group of about 35 students, grades 4 – 8 interested in environmental issues) applied for funding to implement a waste reduction program.

Funding will be used for the purchase of:

• organics recycling bins for all of the classrooms
• exterior bins
• larger tote bins
• educational materials and newsletters

Town staff assisted with a waste audit, provided guidance to the school and will assist them towards their goal to target ‘zero waste’. This was a great opportunity to showcase a Markham school with the Source Separated Organics program and is a model for other schools.

Stonebridge Public School
Goose Awareness Program

Students and teachers of Stonebridge Public School became aware of goose overpopulation and fouling of the community.  Letters were written by a Grade 3 class to the Mayor regarding this problem. The school received funds to develop a goose awareness project to educate the community that when you feed the geese you harm them and feeding can lead to an increase of geese in the area.

The project included:

• creation of a poster and accompanying video to be used in local schools and community venues to raise awareness of this problem
• installation of 2 permanent information signs at Nordlingen Park and Berzcy Park where community members regularly feed the geese and other water fowl

The posters were sent to all the York Region District Schools in Markham. Both schools were awarded an EcoAward by the York Region District School Board.

Unionville Villagers’ Association
Pathway Signage

The association, comprised of residents and commercial owners in and around the Unionville Heritage Conservation District, is committed to preserving, improving and promoting the heritage buildings and heritage environment of the District.

The purpose of this project is to encourage residents and visitors to use the pathways and trails and learn about the wildlife and plants that can be found in Markham parks.

The project included:

• the development of five pathway signs with natural heritage and historical information installed* along the trails of Bruce Creek, Denby Valley and Mildred Temple Parks  *signage to be installed in September.

Pomona Mills Park Conservationists Inc.
Clean-up, Planting and Signage Program

The Pomona Mills Park Conservationists Inc. was founded in 1999 to help restore and rehabilitate the East Don River within Pomona Mills Park and create a vital and healthy ecosystem for both humans and wildlife.

This project included:

• cleaning up litter in the park to reduce human-made threats to the survival of plants and animals, as well as raise awareness for the need to protect our natural environment
• planting trees along the riparian areas of the East Don river to prevent the erosion of the riverbank and provide homes for migrating and resident wildlife
• planting native trees and shrubs to slow the spread of invasive plants
• new interpretive signs designed to enhance awareness amongst those using the park

St Justin Martyr Council,
Knights of Columbus
Toogood Interpretive Signage

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals living in the community.

The project included:

• two signs that will provide better appreciation and understanding of fish and Canada geese that inhabit the pond.
• The Canada goose sign reminds people that feeding the geese actually harms geese, and the fish sign lets people know what species are in the pond and to fish safely and within regulations.

10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley
Annual Wildlife Habitat Restoration

10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley is a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to restoring natural habitat within the Rouge River watershed. Each year during Earth Week, they organize a public one-day tree planting that attracts around 1,000 planting volunteers. This planting took place on at the northeast corner of Markham Road and 9th Line.

The purpose of this project is to:

• plant 5,000 native trees and shrubs to begin the process of establishing a riparian forest along this section of the Little Rouge River
• nurture a recreational green space for residents living on the south side of the Markham Bypass
• restore wildlife habitat

Over the past 17 consecutive plantings, the volunteers have planted over 130,000 indigenous trees and shrubs.

Ontario Streams and TEAM Program, Milliken Mills High School
$4,000 for Bruce Creek Redside Dace Habitat Improvement and Naturalization

TEAM (Training in Esteem and Academics at Milliken) is an alternative education program operating out of Milliken Mills High School. Piloted in 1993, the program was established to meet the diverse educational, social and emotional needs of students and empower them to act on opportunities open to them in the real world. Ontario Streams has been operating for over ten years and has worked on numerous stream and wetland rehabilitation projects throughout the GTA. The TEAM Program and Ontario Streams have been project partners for over ten years and have worked on numerous stream and wetland rehabilitation projects.

This project focused on:

• Habitat rehabilitation that will benefit both terrestrial and aquatic communities, particularly the Redside Dace, a provincially threatened fish species
• Tree and shrub planting that can be enjoyed by the community, including naturalizing the area and increasing terrestrial wildlife habitat.

The project team included volunteers from the community as well as the AMEX Cares celebration.

Unionville Meadows Public School
$4966 for school yard restoration and peace garden

This application for a schoolyard restoration and peace garden by the Unionville Meadows Public School Green Team, was submitted by a group of staff and students interested in promoting environmental responsibility and literacy through co-curricular activities. The intent of this project is to:

• Establish an outdoor classroom/peace garden, including seating and plant material;
• Restore the school yard to a more natural state;
• Provide an outdoor educational resource, and;
• Create a safe play space.

A sub-committee of the Green Team specifically researched and planned the schoolyard restoration, conducting personal interviews, written surveys and performing mapping exercises. Because research has been conducted in the planning stages, performance measures around green space satisfaction and utilization can be determined.

Friends of Thornhill Heritage Garden
$6789.28 for refurbishing of the Thornhill Heritage Garden

This proposal is to support and assist in the restoration of the Thornhill Heritage Garden at the Village Branch of Markham Public Libraries on Colborne Street. The Thornhill Heritage Garden was designed and built in 1998 by Dr. Richard Jarrell in cooperation with Markham Parks and Markham Public Libraries. It sought to recreate a Canadian-style cottage garden with plants typical of the period of around 1898 to enhance the heritage library building. Over the years, the garden has deteriorated, due to a number of events, including last summers flood and could not be maintained because the costs were borne by the Jarrells personally.

The key goals of this proposal include:

• A substantial refurbishing of the garden with heirloom perennials and shrubs
• Providing storage and replacement tools and setting up rain barrels
• Providing educational signage and brochures for visitors

Benefits of the Thornhill Heritage Garden include enhancement of the library area, a tranquil space and an opportunity to demonstrate that gardens can be developed and maintained by organic methods with minimal use of water.

South Unionville Community Association
$6072 for a native plant garden with educational signage

This application by South Unionville Association (SUCA), a Markham ratepayers association, included the use of native plants to naturalize a garden on Piera Gardens. The native plant garden and interpretive signage will improve the community’s understanding of native plants and naturalized gardening. SUCA has also adopted the adjacent storm water management pond through the Town's Adopt a Park program. SUCA will engage community members in the planting and to maintain the area.

Pomona Mills Conservationists Spring Planting Initiative 2006
$4308.32 for a native planting

The Pomona Mills Conservationists Inc. was founded in 1999 in order to help restore and rehabilitate the East Don River within Pomona Mills Park. This group of local Thornhill volunteers adopted the park and has organized six community spring plantings along the Don River as well as three litter clean-ups. To date, over 1000 native shrubs and trees have been planted.

This application included planting shrubs, trees and wildflowers to create a natural buffer to protect the existing meadow and enhance it for butterflies, birds and other wildlife. This project enhances the table land areas and provides the community with more natural space. The Pomona Mills Conservationists will maintain the planting.

The Hunt Club, 610 Bullock Drive, Markham
$10,000 for their Energy Retrofit Assistance Programs

The Hunt Club is a condominium corporation, comprising 235 suites represented by a five member volunteer board of directors, working towards energy efficiencies since 1998. The Energy Retrofit proposal includes replacing existing inefficient boilers with new, high-efficiency boilers, which results in requiring only five boilers from the ten boilers previously required. The estimated project savings in energy for this proposal is 168,022 cubic metres of natural gas or $63,500 per year. In addition, the project will preclude an estimated 323,893 Kg of CO2 emissions, a significant contributor of greenhouse gas. The project is submitted under the energy efficiency and leading innovation criteria of the MESF.

The Hunt Club's Energy Retrofit Assistance proposal is also showcased through the Town of Markham's Energy Conservation Office (MECO) as an example of a private corporation taking a proactive approach to becoming more energy efficient. This project ties into three of MECO’s initiatives including the Energy and Environmental Management System (EEMS), the Better Buildings Partnership and to a lesser extent, the Advancing High Performance Buildings program.

 
From L to R: Markham Regional Councillor Tony Wong, Richmond Hill Councillor Nick Papa, Richmond Hill Councillor David L. Cohen, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, Richmond Hill Regional Councillor Vito Spatafora, Markham Councillor Carolina Moretti, Markham Councillor Valerie Burke, Markham Councillor Logan Kanapathi, Richmond Hill Councillor Godwin Chan.

Several Town staff funding applications were approved for the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund (MESF) in Fall 2006, including Free noon-time community shuttle pilot project (16 week program) intended to reduce parking demand and test a new transit delivery model. This project was developed by our Transportation staff in partnership with Smart Commute 404-7, Markham Board of Trade, Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce and York Region Transit.

Here's a snapshot of the other approved projects:

• Pilot project for new energy-saving fluorescent lights for Civic Centre's underground garage
• An electric-powered utility vehicle to replace a gasoline vehicle used for maintenance jobs
• An eight-month internship position focusing on sustainable transportation
• Two bikes made available to staff during business hours to reduce car traffic and improve users' health