Grants for Landowners
New Funding Available Through The Sydenham Phosphorus Reduction Initiative
New funding is available to support practices that will help reduce phosphorus losses within the Sydenham River Watershed. Follow this link for all the details, guidelines, and applications:
The Healthy Watersheds Program was created to connect conservation-minded landowners with resources to help implement Best Management Practices and stewardship projects on their property. SCRCA staff secure funding from a variety of sources which is used to offset the costs associated with implementing eligible projects. Landowners can meet with SCRCA staff on their property and staff can offer advice, help with project design, and answer landowners’ questions about the project.
The Healthy Watersheds Program strongly encourages a landowner approach to stewardship and habitat improvement within the region by sharing ideas among neighbours and other watershed residents. We encourage partnerships with landowners, landowner groups, resource associations, agencies, and municipalities.
SCRCA staff secure funding from various sources (federal, provincial, municipal, and non-government) to pass on to landowners to help offset the cost of implementing BMPs and stewardship projects. The availability of landowner grants depends on location within the watershed, the funding sources available, and the guidelines and deadlines outlined by the funding sources.
Funding requests will be considered for projects that work towards meeting SCRCA’s conservation goals within certain regions of our watershed including:
- Improving water quality and quantity
- Improving fish and wildlife habitat
- improving Species at Risk habitat
- implementing native species planting projects (reforestation, tall grass prairie)
A Project Review Committee generally meets twice a year to evaluate the overall environmental benefit/impact of each stewardship project and determines how much funding to apply to individual projects. SCRCA staff who have met with landowners about particular projects will present the projects on behalf of the landowner to the committee. Typically, grants of 50% (to a maximum of $10,000) are provided to landowners, but up to 100% of the capital cost may be approved for some types of projects.
Eligibility Guidelines
Landowners are encouraged to call SCRCA (519-245-3710) for more details.
Download BMP Fact Sheets
(not all BMPs are currently eligible for grants)