BURLINGTON, ON – Today, the Conservation Halton (CH) Foundation is pleased to announce the successful completion of its historic $20 million Connected Campaign. This is a milestone achievement, representing the largest fundraising effort that CH and the Conservation Halton Foundation have ever undertaken.  

These funds are highly significant to CH and will have a tremendous impact on the natural environment, parks, green spaces, and educational programs in Halton, both now and into the future.  

The Connected Campaign focused on ’growing CH’s greenprint’ through strategic investment in three key areas: Parks & Greenspaces, Biodiversity & Resilience, and Education & Community. The targeted projects will create more inclusive and welcoming ways for people to connect with nature through enhanced accessibility and modernized infrastructure.  

Campaign funding will help safeguard and expand CH’s 10,000 acres of conservation lands, protecting vital natural spaces across the watershed. It will also support dynamic, hands-on environmental education programs that inspire people of all ages to deepen their understanding of, and commitment to, a thriving natural world. 

Anchored by project-specific grant support from all levels of government, fundraising efforts were elevated by the generosity and leadership of community and board champions, and the tireless dedication of the CH Foundation Connected Campaign cabinet.  

CH extends its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who donated, advocated, and led with vision to make this campaign a success. 

QUICK FACTS 

  • $20 million raised by Conservation Halton and the Conservation Halton Foundation between 2020 and 2025 
  • Parks & Greenspace: $11.6 million raised; 153 acres of newly protected land, 16+ projects funded; 6 km’s of trails added.   
  • Biodiversity & Resilience: $6.5 million raised; 63,000 trees and shrubs planted; 1,300 landowner collaborations.  
  • Education & Community: $2.1 million raised; 17,000+ youth received immersive nature education; 175,000 people reached through outreach and education programs.  
  • Conservation Halton’s greenprint safeguards 10,000 acres of forests, trails, wetlands, meadows, creeks, and other natural spaces in one of Ontario’s most beautiful and ecologically diverse watersheds.  
     

MULTIMEDIA 

QUOTES 
 

“Thanks to our Connected community and its support of our ambitious $20 million goal, we have already begun work on the transformational infrastructure projects that will support the growing demand on our conservation areas in the years to come. The legacy of the Connected Campaign will be communities that are stronger, healthier, and more resilient.” 
– Chandra Sharma, President and CEO, Conservation Halton  
 
“Our Connected Campaign began in 2020, the same year our world was rocked by the global pandemic, which increased our collective desire to seek out greenspaces and experience programs where people could connect easily and often with nature. To meet this important, growing need, our Foundation set a fundraising goal that was higher than ever before. Fortunately, the community responded enthusiastically. We thank everyone who shared our vision to grow and protect Halton’s network of conservation areas, invest in park infrastructure, restore local greenspaces, and make educational and recreational programming even more available and accessible to everyone.” 
-Catherine Mulvale, Chair, Conservation Halton Connected Campaign, and Founder, Global Friends Foundation, Dynamite Design, and DementiaLove.org