ABOUT US
PEOPLE HELPING RIVERS SINCE 1995
Established in 1995, Ontario Streams is an environmental charity dedicated to the conservation and rehabilitation of streams and wetlands, through education and community action. Since then, we have worked closely with numerous communities, landowners, and school groups to develop lasting partnerships in education and environmental stewardship.
Over the years, Ontario Streams has continued to demonstrate leadership in aquatic ecosystem rehabilitation, using the principles of Natural Channel Design. We have been sought after for information on an international level, however our most significant work has taken place in Southern Ontario. To date, many of Ontario Streams' projects have occurred in and around the Greater Toronto Area, where the need for rehabilitation has been greatest. We regularly coordinate projects on public and private lands including activities such as planting trees, collecting litter, creating in-stream habitats, managing invasive species, monitoring ecosystems, mitigating fish barriers, and restoring and creating wetlands.
By the year 2000, Ontario Streams completed its first Environmental Assessment, and was overseeing its first large-scale restoration project involving contractors, engineering firms, and municipal governments at the Rouge River Marshes. Shortly after the completion of this work, Ontario Streams was conducting larger scale projects, completing the surveying, design, and implementation of the Ringwood Wetland Creation Project, Sewells Road Wetland Restoration, and removing or bypassing online barriers to improve fish movement in Caledon and Hamilton-Wentworth.
In addition to the large and small scale restoration projects that Ontario Streams continues to champion, the organization has also been involved in the development of several programs, studies, and information-sharing projects. Since 2008, Ontario Streams has worked in partnership with Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters to conduct Atlantic Salmon restoration experiments. Ontario Streams has also been responsible for the Ontario Stream Rehabilitation Manual, two forums, two Invasive Species Centre Technical Reports, and has partnered in the 'Keep. Care. Be Aware.' campaign for aquatic invasive species, the Lake Ontario Microplastics Monitoring Program, the Lake Simcoe Muskie and Walleye Rehabilitation Program, the Redside Dace Recovery Plan, the York Region Adopt-A-Stream Crossing tree planting program, and the Endangered Species Overall Benefit Catalogue. Ontario Streams also coordinates our own volunteer stewardship programs where we connect community members with opportunities to improve their local streams or wetlands.