Monday, July 30, 2007: Wal-Mart Canada and Evergreen announce first recipients of $2.5 million Green Grants Program
MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 30 /CNW/ - Wal-Mart Canada and Evergreen today
announced the first 48 community recipients of a five-year, $2.5 million
Wal-Mart Evergreen Green Grants program. Funded by Wal-Mart Canada and led by
Evergreen, a non-profit environmental organization, the grants offer as much
as $10,000 to public groups introducing or revitalizing green space in
Canadian communities.
The Wal-Mart Evergreen Green Grants program began in 2005 in an effort to
fund environmental projects in community spaces across Canada. Three years
later, with Wal-Mart Canada's newly announced five-year, $2.5 million funding
commitment, the program has become the largest of its kind in the country.
Since 2005, Wal-Mart and Evergreen have administered $821,000 in grants,
supporting 130 projects. This year's Wal-Mart Evergreen Green Grants will
support a broad range of projects, including naturalization of urban spaces,
repair of fish and wildlife habitats, sustainable food gardening, tree
planting to buffer urban development, and many others. The grants are
available nationwide and awarded by Evergreen on the basis of merit and an
application review process (see www.evergreen.ca for details).
"Our commitment to the environment is a fundamental part of our
operation," said Mario Pilozzi, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Canada. "It is a
commitment that is growing throughout our business and out into our
communities. When it comes to sustainability our company is making major
changes that people can see and others that are less visible. With the
Wal-Mart Evergreen Green Grants, it's nice to point to a tree, a garden, or
community green space and know that we helped plant the roots."
"Green space and access to green space is crucial to the health of our
cities and communities," says Geoff Cape, executive director, Evergreen. "As
an organization concerned with bringing city dwellers into contact with
nature, we are proud, together with Wal-Mart Canada, to make these Green
Grants available to the tenacious stewardship groups across Canada that are
making change on the ground."
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The following is a list of 2007 Wal-Mart Evergreen Green Grant recipients
and project details by province:
Alberta:
- Wainwright, Communities in Bloom Society (native tree planting)
British Columbia:
- Coquitlam, Oakdale Heritage Society (park biodiversity and
education project)
- Dawson Creek, Kiwanis Enterprise Centre (community gardens)
- Naramata, Penticton Community Gardens (repair and creation of
garden space)
- North Vancouver, The Mahon Park Stewards (fish and wildlife
habitat restoration)
- Richmond, East Richmond Community Association (youth community
gardening)
- Vancouver, Musqueam Ecosystem Conservation Society (salmon habitat)
- Vancouver, The Growing Chef's Society (children's sustainable
food programs)
- Victoria, Esquimalt Lagoon Stewardship Initiative (beach dune
restoration)
- White Rock, White Rock and Surrey Naturalists (student employment
program and restoration)
Manitoba
- Leaf Rapids, Portal Enterprises and Consortium (vegetable and worm
programs)
- Winnipeg, William Whyte Residents Association (indigenous food plant
program)
- Winnipeg, Pollock Island Conservation Group (tree planting to
stop erosion)
New Brunswick
- Fredericton, Nature Conservancy of Canada (restoration of Round
Meadow Cove)
- Knowlesville, Falls Brook Centre (restoration of native species in
Carleton County)
- Sussex, Kennebacasis Watershed Restoration Committee (re-establishing
nature trail)
Newfoundland
- St. John's, Grand Concourse Authority (restoration of urban spaces
and former landfill)
Nova Scotia
- Amherst, Burning Bush Ministries Inc. (restoration of
Lady Smith Lookout)
- Halifax, Environmental Art in a Therapeutic Setting (courtyard
landscaping)
- Westville, Lansdowne Outdoor Recreational Development Association
(greenhouse)
Ontario
- Bracebridge, Muskoka Heritage Foundation (Fairy Lake shoreline
restoration)
- Carlisle, Hamilton Naturalists Club (establishment of natural
corridor)
- Gorrie, Community Centre Coffee Club (community landscaping)
- Hamilton, Field & Stream Rescue Team (Creek Restoration)
- Lindsay, Friends of Kawartha Conservation (shoreline naturalization)
- London, Old South Community Organization (streetscape beautification)
- Mississauga, Ecosource (organic food gardening in city parkland)
- North Bay, Lake Nipissing Stewardship Council (restoration of a
city creek)
- Sault Ste. Marie, Hiawatha Highlands (Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club
trails and signage)
- Scarborough, 18th Annual Wildlife Habitat Restoration (Rouge Valley
tree planting)
- Scarborough, Rouge Valley Naturalists (restoration of lost
habitat space)
- Scarborough, Earth Day Scarborough (habitat restoration)
- Shakespeare, Shakespeare Optimist Club (Avon River watershed
tree planting)
- St. George, Brant Resource Stewardship Network (King William Park
3D gardens)
- Thornhill, Jewish Nature Centre of Canada (Tora HaTeva Organic
Garden project)
- Toronto, WECAN Community Development Association (youth and
drop-out program)
- Toronto, Toronto Bay Initiative (sand dune restoration at various
waterfront beach sites)
- Toronto, ECENECA, (Moss Park environmental-social program)
- Toronto, Community Resource Centre of Scarborough (Walden Pond
flora planting)
- Toronto, Wabash Building Society (Sorauren Park Fieldhouse
landscaping project)
- Toronto, Toronto Zoo Foundation (clean up of Morningside Tributary)
- Toronto, Greenest City, (introduction of flora to
marginalized communities)
Quebec
- LaSalle, Heritage Laurentien (shoreline biodiversity planting)
- Montreal, Les Amis de la Montagne (education for proper non-damaging
bike trail use)
- Montreal, Eco-quartier Pointe-Saint-Charles (reclamation of high-
traffic urban site)
- Montreal, Santopol Roulant (sustainably grown urban food program)
- Montreal, Alternatives ... pour un monde different (site enhancement)
Saskatchewan
- Saskatoon, Meewasin Valley Authority (man-made wetlands for
playground run-off)
About Wal-Mart Canada: Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Wal-Mart
Canada operates 278 discount stores, eight Wal-Mart Supercentres, and six
Sam's Club membership warehouse operations. The company has committed to three
long-term sustainability goals:
1. To produce zero waste;
2. To be powered 100 per cent by renewable energy; and,
3. To make more environmentally preferable products available to
customers.
Details of Wal-Mart Canada's sustainability goals and programs, and other
components of its corporate social responsibility programs, are available in
the company's first ever Corporate Values Report, at www.wal-mart.ca.
>>
About Evergreen: Evergreen is an innovative charity that builds the
relationship between nature, culture and community in urban spaces. Since
1991, it has engaged people in creating and sustaining healthy, dynamic
outdoor spaces across Canada - in schools, communities and homes. Its
entrepreneurial approach to social responsibility creates vibrant
neighbourhoods, a healthy natural environment and a sustainable society for
all.
Source: CNW
