Agricultural Stewardship & Grants
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Agricultural Stewardship
Approximately 80% of the region’s land base is dedicated to important agricultural land uses. Farming provides food sources across Ontario and beyond, and is important to our region’s economy. Essex Region Conservation has a long history of working with farmers to exchange information that will ultimately help to protect and improve soil health while protecting water quality. Soil protection structures, windbreaks and buffer strips are just some of the ways farmers protect water quality. Essex Region Conservation has grants available to assist in implementing these projects.
Landowner Grants
In an effort to ‘share in the responsibility’ of a clean and healthy environment, ERCA has a comprehensive Clean Water – Green Spaces program aimed at improving regional water quality and enhancing natural areas and biodiversity. Grants of up to 90% of project costs are available to qualifying landowners to implement projects which will help improve local water quality, reduce soil erosion, and increase natural areas cover. Further details are included in the table below. Participation in the program is entirely voluntary, and will not have any impact on your property rights.
Please be sure to contact the ERCA office before initiating any project for which you wish to apply for a grant.
Clean Water~Green Spaces 2025 Agricultural Grants Available
Applications will be accepted starting on May 1, 2025
Eligible Products | Grant Rate | Maximum Grant | Staff Contact (519-776-5209) Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
Wetland Creation – Please inquire regarding eligibility and grant availability | TBD | No Maximum | Kathryn Arthur, ext. 303, karthur@erca.org |
Prairie/Meadow Seeding (minimum 1 acre) | Up to 90% | No Maximum | Kathryn Arthur, ext. 303, karthur@erca.org |
Tree Planting – Blocks larger than 5 acres (2 hectares) | Up to 90% | No Maximum | Paul Giroux, ext. 310, pgiroux@erca.org |
Tree Planting – Blocks of up to 5 acres (2 hectares) | Up to 75% | $5,000 | Paul Giroux, ext. 310, pgiroux@erca.org |
Landowner Grants
In an effort to ‘share in the responsibility’ of a clean and healthy environment, ERCA has a comprehensive Clean Water – Green Spaces program aimed at improving regional water quality and enhancing natural areas and biodiversity. Grants of up to 90% of project costs are available to qualifying landowners to implement projects which will help improve local water quality, reduce soil erosion, and increase natural areas cover. Further details are included in the table below. Participation in the program is entirely voluntary, and will not have any impact on your property rights.
Please be sure to contact the ERCA office before initiating any project for which you wish to apply for a grant.
Clean Water~Green Spaces 2025 Agricultural Grants Available
Applications will be accepted starting on May 1, 2025
Eligible Products | Grant Rate | Maximum Grant | Staff Contact (519-776-5209) Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
Wetland Creation – Please inquire regarding eligibility and grant availability | TBD | No Maximum | Kathryn Arthur, ext. 303, karthur@erca.org |
Prairie/Meadow Seeding (minimum 1 acre) | Up to 90% | No Maximum | Kathryn Arthur, ext. 303, karthur@erca.org |
Tree Planting – Blocks larger than 5 acres (2 hectares) | Up to 90% | No Maximum | Paul Giroux, ext. 310, pgiroux@erca.org |
Tree Planting – Blocks of up to 5 acres (2 hectares) | Up to 75% | $5,000 | Paul Giroux, ext. 310, pgiroux@erca.org |