Ontario Community Environment Fund Grant

The Ontario Community Environment Fund Grant allocates over $1.5 million in 2023 for local projects focused on environmental restoration and community resilience. Eligible applicants include First Nation and Métis communities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. The fund supports projects like tree planting and habitat restoration, aimed at improving ecological health in regions affected by environmental penalties. This initiative fosters community engagement and promotes sustainable practices to protect land, air, and water.

In 2023, we are making over $1.5 million available for local projects that aim to restore the environment.
How it works
The Ontario Community Environment Fund uses money collected from these penalties to support projects that improve the environment in the region(s) where the violation or environmental impact happened.
Projects that are eligible for support focus on:

• environmental restoration and remediation activities which repair environmental harmresilient communities and local solutions to environmental issues
• We will evaluate applications for the respective project’s technical merit and potential to benefit the environment and community.
• Eligible projects

Funding is available for two different kinds of environmental improvement projects. These include projects that focus on:
Increased environmental restoration and remediation activities, that repair environmental harm. Examples include:planting trees, shrubs or plants to help mitigate and adapt to climate changerebuilding fish habitat and creating fish spawning bedsstabilizing stream banks and creating buffer strips to reduce nutrient run-offrestoring streams to improve habitat and water qualityResilient communities and local solutions to environmental issues. Examples include:improving the resilience of natural ecosystems by restoring wetlands and preserving areas of significant environmental and ecological importanceinstalling rain gardens to reduce the risk of flooding and help communities adapt to climate changeenvironmental monitoring that provides data to understand and support the protection and conservation of the natural environment.
OCEF directs money collected through administrative penalties for environmental violations into environmental projects located in the region(s) in which the violation(s) occurred. There are five compliance and enforcement regions:

• Central
• Eastern
• Northern
• Southwest
• West Central
• Use the region locator to find your region.

Eligibility

The fund is open to:First Nation and Métis communities and organizationsschools, colleges and universitiesconservation foundationsmunicipalitiesincorporated not-for-profit organizationsincorporated community-based groupsTo qualify, your project must be based in a region where environmental penalties were collected. Check the interactive map and list below to confirm how much funding is available for your area.Eligible project costs
OCEF will only support expenses directly related to the delivery of eligible projects. Examples of eligible costs are outlined below. These may include:costs associated with hiring professional or technical expertise required to directly support the projectmaterials and supplies, such as trees, shovels, garbage bags, and personal protective equipment that are necessary to undertake the projectcosts for activities to facilitate project implementation (e.g., to plant trees, enhance wetlands, manage storm water and control erosion)marketing costs to promote the project (e.g., publications, newsletters, brochures, social media)staff/labour costs to directly administer the projectup to 10% of the cost of staff training and attendance at conferences and workshops related to the projectexpenses to hold workshops or conferences in the eligible region that are directly related to the eligible project categoriesequipment rental (e.g., backhoe, communications technology, scientific equipment, vehicles). Please contact the ministry if renting equipment does not constitute the best value for money or isn’t available in your area

Ineligibility

Ineligible organizationsprovincial or federal government departments, agencies, boards and commissionsindividualsfor-profit organizationsProjects that are not eligible for funding under OCEF include:projects with a funding request of less than $5,000
land acquisitions
projects that provide a direct benefit to the ministry or that are located on ministry property (such as provincial parks) or include ministry involvement
projects requiring an individual or class environmental assessment (EA) unless already completed or a class EA category A project
activities required under statutes or regulations, or that are the mandated responsibility of an organization or government agency
projects that provide grants to other recipientsIneligible organizations
provincial or federal government departments, agencies, boards and commissions
for-profit organizationsIneligible project costs
Expenses not directly related to the delivery of the project are ineligible for OCEF funding. These may include:expenses related to ongoing overhead and core administrative activities of the applicant and/or your project partners (e.g., rent, telephone, internet, utilities)expenses incurred prior to receiving OCEF funding commitmentactivities that are strictly for beautification purposes (e.g., planting trees, shrubs and plants that are not native to the project planting area.)capital expenses (e.g., vehicles, office furniture, computers, cell phones, building renovations, toilets, water filling stations, greenhouses, interpretative structures)signage that does not provide information relevant to the projectappreciation gifts (e.g., gift certificates for volunteers)honoraria (except for honoraria for Indigenous Elders or community knowledge holders for their participation, which are eligible costs)hospitality or entertainment expenses (e.g., food, beverages)refundable Harmonized Sales Tax or other refundable expensesinsurance (commercial general liability or other)legal costs including but not limited to litigation