2019.MM3.13

Background

“Toronto's Ravine System is one of the world's largest urban ecosystems and covers nearly 17 percent of our City at an area of over 11,000 hectares. It is a primary source of habitat for Toronto's terrestrial biodiversity, provides tremendous economic benefit to the City and is internationally renowned as one of Toronto's most unique and defining features. A recent scientific study from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Forestry has demonstrated the immense ecological decline Toronto's Ravine System has endured over previous decades, concluding that widespread, science-based action must be taken immediately.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

“City Council request[ed] the City Manager, in consultation with the Director of Parks, Forestry and Recreation and any other relevant City staff, to report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on the feasibility and possible advantages of establishing a Ravine Protection Conservancy to better enable public engagement and facilitate public and private donations to raise the capital costs necessary to deal with ecological threats in order to rehabilitate and preserve Toronto's Ravines.”

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor Josh Matlow