FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oakville, Ont., March 16, 2022- The Golden Horseshoe Hub in Southern Ontario announced today they will work together to distribute $1,104,114 to transform public spaces in response to COVID-19 in the second round of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative.
The Hub is led by Oakville Community Foundation and is a consortium of eight community foundations including: Brampton and Caledon Community Foundation, Brant County Community Foundation, Burlington Foundation, Community Foundation of Halton North, Hamilton Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Mississauga and Niagara Community Foundation.
The Hub will support 26 projects in the Peel, Brant, Halton, Hamilton, Brampton and Niagara regions as part of the second round of the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative. Through this initiative, the Government of Canada, alongside Community Foundations of Canada, is working to build safer spaces and ensure a high quality of life for people across the country, by helping communities adapt to the challenges of COVID-19.
The Golden Horseshoe Hub is supporting the following projects as part of The Initiative:
| Organization | Project Title | Amount |
| Town of Caledon Public Library | Southfields Village Reading Garden | $91,910.00 |
| Town of Caledon | Enhancing public spaces and increasing access to Downtown Bolton | $60,000.00 |
| Brampton Public Library | Mobile Device Lending Kits | $40,330.00 |
| County of Brant | Free Mesh WiFi and Charging Benches in Public Parks | $48,851.23 |
| Six Nations Polytechnic | Creating Safe, Healthy and Active Spaces for Community | $65,000.00 |
| BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association | Clean Up Green Up- Expanding Vulnerable Community Connections | $14,209.00 |
| Burlington Public Library | Connection For All- Post Covid Technology Access | $19,650.00 |
| Milton Public Library | Be Inspired. Indigenous-Centered Knowledge | $50,000.00 |
| The Canadian Arabic Orchestra | The Multicultural Pop-Up Festival in the Park | $25,000.00 |
| The Dam- Develop Assist Mentor | What’s Next? An inclusive post-secondary education digital guide | $75.644.00 |
| City of Hamilton | Public Spaces and Park Wi-Fi Connectivity | $99,999.00 |
| Hamilton Olympic Club | Ray Lewis Track & Field Centre- COVID-19 Shade Structure Project | $50,000.00 |
| Cobalt Connects Creativity | All Our Relations- Youth Engagement | $45,000.00 |
| Welland Public Library | Bridging the Digital Divide: Connectivity & Digital Device Lending Program | $10,518.00 |
| Downtown Port Colborne BIA | Public Spaces for Everybody | $35,000.00 |
| Downtown Beamsville Business Improvement Area | Downtown Alleyway Art Gallery and Sensory Maze | $25,000.00 |
| Recreation and Culture Department: City of Welland | A Place For Everyone- A Community Meeting Place | $20,000.00 |
| Town of Pelham Public Library | Lendable WiFi Hotspots with Unlimited Data | $5,050.00 |
| Advancing Crystal Beach Community Development Organization | 100% Inclusive in Crystal Beach | $18,000.00 |
| FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre | Digital Placemaking in St. Catharines- creating safe public art engagement | $48,573.00 |
| Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar | Adult and Senior Fitness Equipment to Memorial Park | $50,000.00 |
| Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch | Coping Skills for Change Virtual Groups | $48,559.00 |
| Bridgeway Family Centre | Arabic Healthy Start | $44,000.00 |
| Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton (SAVIS) | Crisis Line Support | $10,000.00 |
| Hospital for Sick Children | Co-designing a peer-led social media-based food literacy program for youth | $75,362.00 |
| Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) | Indigenous Community Advisory Circle | $28,458.00 |
The Initiative was designed to fund eligible projects between $5,000 and $250,000 that fall under three main themes: creating safe and vibrant public spaces, improving mobility options, and digital solutions.
“Inclusive, accessible public spaces are the heart of any community, and vital to healthy, vibrant, safe and successful communities that are better equipped to restore growth, create jobs, build a greener, more competitive and resilient economy and repair the damage done by the pandemic. Together, the federal government and its provincial and municipal partners are working hard to ensure strategic investments in community infrastructure upgrades create inclusive communal spaces for everyone to enjoy.”
— Pam Damoff, Member of Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington
“Public spaces are the glue to our communities: they enable a feeling of belonging and of social cohesion. They are a big part of what makes communities safe, vibrant and connected,” said Wendy Rinella, CEO of the Oakville Community Foundation. “As our region faces increased isolation due to COVID-19, these projects from the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will help our community to connect safely and will benefit the mental and physical well-being of our residents.”
Community Foundations of Canada together with its partners, including the Canadian Urban Institute, is working with community foundations across the country to manage the funding process and serve the distinct needs of communities across Canada, including equity-seeking groups, interested in applying.
To learn more about the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative, visit https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/chci-iccs/index-eng.htm
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Golden Horseshoe Hub
The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative (CHCI) is a national initiative funded by the Government of Canada to create and adapt public spaces to respond to the new realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Golden Horseshoe Hub is led by the Oakville Community Foundation and is a consortium of eight community foundations including: Brampton and Caledon Community Foundation, Brant County Community Foundation, Burlington Foundation, Community Foundation of Halton North, Hamilton Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Mississauga and Niagara Community Foundation.
Media Contact
Sarah McPherson
Director – Philanthropy & Communications
sarah@theocf.org | 905-844-3562 x. 302
