More than 50 events are taking place from April 22-24

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Chippewas and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation – Starting on Friday April 22 and continuing through the weekend, the Yours To Protect Weekend features more than 50 local groups from across Ontario that will be hosting rallies, parades, hikes, clean-ups and educational events.

The events under the shared banner of the Yours to Protect Weekend will highlight environmental threats to local natural areas and call on MPP candidates from all parties to make stronger environmental protections part of their election platforms.

While different events are focused on different issues and natural spaces, key concerns include:

  • Stopping Car-dependent Sprawl
  • Stopping Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass
  • Building Walkable Communities
  • Keeping our Lakes and Rivers Clean and Healthy
  • Protecting and Expanding Conservation Areas
  • Stronger Climate Change Policies
  • Strengthening Gravel Mining Regulations

The Yours to Protect movement is a coalition of large and small environmental groups fighting for better environmental policies in the province of Ontario. It was formed in response to the many attacks on the environment enacted by the current provincial government.

WHAT: “Yours to Protect Weekend” Days of Action, featuring more than 50 events from Windsor in the west to Ottawa in the east. New events are being registered every day.

WHERE:  A map of all events, with additional information about attending each event, is available here: https://environmentaldefence.ca/ytpweekend/

WHEN: April 22, 23 and 24. Exact times and dates vary by location.

The full list of events currently confirmed are below by type, including rallies, general Earth Day events, nature walks and community clean-ups:

Rallies to Cancel Highways, Stop Sprawl and Demand Action on Climate Change

Friday, April 22, 11:30am – 12:30pm – Bracebridge: Climate Action Muskoka will be hosting two Climate Strikes with an Earth Week focus. Meet in Memorial Park for the Bracebridge event. More Info: https://www.climateactionmuskoka.org/

Friday, April 22, 11:30am – 12:30pm – Huntsville: Climate Action Muskoka will be hosting a Climate Strike with an Earth Week focus. Meet across the bridge from Main Street, between the bridge and Pizza Nova. They are also hosting an event in Sundridge on April 21.  More Info: https://www.climateactionmuskoka.org/

Friday, April 22, 1:00 PM – Sudbury: Laurentian University’s Environmental Sustainability Committee, the Indigenous Student Circle, the Students’ General Association, and Sophia Mathur of Friday’s For Future invite you to join the Earth Day Climate March as part of year two events for the United Nations Decade of Restoration. Media Contact: Anastacia Chartrand, President of the Environmental Sustainability Committee, 705-507-5359, achartrand2@laurentian.ca

Friday April 22, 3:00PM – 6:00 PM – Vaughan: Local activists will be hosting a rally to Stop the 413 and Open the 407 at the corner of Highway 7 and Weston Road.  Gather in the plaza on the south west corner. Contact: Michael A DiMuccio, goodvibesintl@gmail.com

Friday, April 22, 3:30PM – 4:00PM – Milton: Sustainable Milton is hosting a Stop Sprawl, Stop HWY413, DAMN (Demand A Moritorium Now) on the South West corner of Main and Ontario Street, in front of MPP Parm Gill’s office. Media Contact: Kim Bradshaw – kabradshaw@live.com

Friday, April 22, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM – Halton Hills: Halton Hills Climate Action is hosting two half-hour events sign-waving signs at busy intersections. Guelph and Main in Georgetown from 3:30-4:00 PM and Queen St and Churchill Rd S. in Acton from 4:30-5:00 PM. Media Contact: Janet Duval, haltonhillsclimateaction@gmail.com, 905-877-1994

Friday, April 22, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM – Oakville: GASP and Oakville Climate Action invite you to a rally to Stop the 413 at the corner of Trafalgar and Cornwall. Media Contact: Aki Tanaka – Akitanaka1983@gmail.com, 416-333-6723

Friday, April 22, 6:45 PM – Perth: Climate Network Lanark is hosting the 7th Annual P’Earth Day Parade. People will gather at the bandstand behind Perth Town Hall at 6:45 pm. At 7 pm sharp, the parade will proceed up Gore St to Foster St, to Wilson St to the Big Ben statue and through Stewart Park. Media Contact: Anita Payne, payanita@gmail.com, 613-267-0881.

Saturday, April 23, 10:00 AM – Mississauga: Sustainable Mississauga will be hosting a “Slow Roll” (slow-paced group bike ride) to see some of the best examples of conservation of natural and food spaces and worst examples of housing and highway sprawl in Mississauga. The ride will start and end from Mississauga’s Celebration Square. Media Contact: Rahul Mehta, Sustainable Mississauga, rahulmclimate@gmail.com

Saturday, April 23, 10:00  AM – Kleinburg: Stop the 413 Kleinburg will be hosting a rally. Gather at the school in Downtown Kleinburg Village. Contact: Michael A DiMuccio, goodvibesintl@gmail.com

Saturday, April 23, 1:00 PM – Pelham: Pelham Advocates for Trees and Habitat (PATH) is hosting a rally and march starting at Peace Park, Town Square, Fonthill at 1:00 pm SHARP. Media Contact: Mike Jones, pelhampath@gmail.com, 1-905-658-3330

Saturday, April 23, 1:00PM – 2:30PM – Holland Landing: Rescue Lake Simcoe and Simcoe Country Greenbelt Coalition will be hosting a Yours to Protect Weekend Rally at Caroline Mulroney’s office in support of clean water and Lake Simcoe, Stop the 413, Stop the Bradford Bypass, Protect our Climate, and Stop Sprawl. Media Contact: Margaret Prophet, margaret@simcoecountygreenbelt.ca, 705-718-1383

Saturday, April 23, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Orangeville: Stop the 413 Orangeville will be rallying at Broadway and First Street. Signs are available at Pia’s restaurant.

Saturday, April 23, 2:00 PM – Bolton: Meet at the corner of King and Queen at 2PM for a rally to Stop the 413. Media Contact: Dan O’Reilly, danoreilly@sympatico.ca

Sunday, April 24, 1:00 PM – Toronto: Environmental advocates and housing activists are teaming up to host a rally at Bay and College to End Exclusionary Zoning in support of provincial and municipal zoning reforms. Media Contacts: Dave Scrivener, david.scrivener@gmail.com, 416-518-7353; Phil Pothen, ppothen@environmentaldefence.ca

Sunday, April 24, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Hamilton: Stop Sprawl Ham Ont and the National Farmer’s Union will be hosting a Stop Sprawl Farm Fest with food and live music at Manorun Farms. Contact: info@ssho.ca

General Earth Day Events

Friday, April 22, 12:00PM-6:00PM – Stayner: Friends of EcoPark will be hosting the first annual Earth day at the Clearview EcoPark! More info: https://www.clearview.ca/news-events-meetings/events-calendar/earth-day-2022-clearview-ecopark

Friday, April 22, 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM – London: For Our Kids and Blue Communities London will be sharing information about their environmental campaigns at EarthFest in Victoria Park. Media Contact: Lella Blumer, Organizer, For Our Kids, lella@forourkids.ca 519-932-0817

Friday, April 22, 7:45 PM – Peterborough B!KE: The Peterborough Community Cycling Hub will be hosting a Glow Ride through downtown Peterborough to promote active transportation. Contact: mark.s.woolley@gmail.com

Friday April 22, – Erin: Coalition for the West Credit River (CWCR) will be launching a blog to keep the public informed and up-to-date on issues and concerns associated with the Town of Erin’s Sewage Treatment Plant. More info: https://cwcr.ca/blog/

Saturday, April 23, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM – St. Catharines: Friends of Malcolmson Eco-Park will be hosting a wildflower and shrub planting and garden cleanup. A memorial tree will be planted in memory of one of the founders of the Eco-Park. At 9:30 AM, the Peninsula Field Naturalists will be leading a birding hike.

Saturday, April 23, 9:00AM – 1:00PM – Perth: Climate Action Lanark and Friends of the Tay Watershed will be hosting info-booths as part of the Trashure Hunt community clean-up in Perth. More info here: https://www.perth.ca/en/live-and-play/trashure-hunt.aspx

Saturday, April 23, 9:00AM – 3:00 PM – McDonald’s Corners: The MERA Schoolhouse (974 Concession Road 9A Dalhousie, McDonald’s Corners) will be hosting a fun-filled day of community, presentations and hands on-demonstrations. Media Contact: Alexis Scott, 613-200-8009, meraschoolhouse@gmail.com

Saturday, April 23, 10:00 AM – Amherstburg: Bryerswood Youth Camp Optimist Club is hosting an education family earth day event. Media Contact: Kathi Poupard, kathipoupard@gmail.com, 519-776-6228

Saturday, April 23, 10:00 AM – Burlington: The food rescue charity Food for Life is hosting a compost giveaway to celebrate Earth Day. More info: https://foodforlife.ca/

Saturday, April, 23, 10:00 AM – 1:00PM – Peterborough: Odoonabii Watershed Stewarts will be kicking off a rehabilitation in Jackson Creek. More Info: https://facebook.com/events/s/jackson-park-invasive-species-/3109449419329020/

Saturday, April 23, 10:00AM – 2:00PM – Brampton: The Brampton Environmental Alliance will be hosting an Earth Day celebration with information booths on key environmental issues and local organizations in Norton Place Park. Media Contact: David Laing, david@daylelaing.com

Saturday, April 23, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Ottawa: The Ottawa South Eco-Action Network is hosting a full day of activities at the Hunt Club, Riverside Park Community Centre, 3320 Paul Anka Dr.

Saturday, April 23, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Stratford: Climate Momentum is hosting an “Earth Day Street Party” in the Stratford Market Square. Music, food vendors, info booths for local climate initiatives, interactive art for kids and families!

Saturday, April 23, 1:00PM – 4:00PM – Town of Blue Mountains: The Town of Blue Mountains’ volunteer-run Repair Cafe will be holding a Grand Opening event.

Saturday, April 23, 1:30-5:00 PM – Owen Sound: Earth Day Grey Bruce will be a family-friendly event at the Owen Sound Farmers’ Market.

Sunday, April 24, 10:00AM – 3:00 PM – Windsor: Citizens Environment Alliance will be sharing information about local issues at their booth in the local Earth Day event in Malden Park. Media Contact: info@citizensenvironmentalliance.org

Sunday, April 24, 12:00pM – 4:00 PM – Mississauga: Join Sustainable Mississauga and Shade of Miti, two grassroots groups in your city, for an afternoon of knowledge-sharing, urban greening and taking action for a more sustainable community! Media Contact: Rahul Mehta, Sustainable Mississauga, rahulmclimate@gmail.com

Hikes and Nature Walks

Friday, April 22, 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM – Caledon: Mount Wolfe Farm is hosting two casual walking tours around their fields & forests which will also include discussion of ecological farming and the importance of protecting local natural heritage and farmland. Media Contact: Sarah Dolamore, sdolamor@gmail.com

Friday, April 22, 4:00 PM – Belleville: Quinte Field Naturalists is hosting a nature walk in Hanley Park to highlight this gorgeous natural area that was partially saved from development by local activism. Media Contact: Chris Spencer, chair of the Friends of Bell Creek, cspencer@cogeco.ca, 613-919-8013

Saturday, April 23, 10:00AM – 11:00 AM – Halton Hills: Halton Hills Nature & POWER (Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources) will be hosting a forest mediation in Silvercreek Conservation Area. To register, please visit: www.eventbrite.ca/e/earth-day-forest-meditation-tickets-313816723267

Sunday, April 24, 7:00 PM – Kawartha Lakes: Carden Field Naturalists will be hosting their annual SOUNDS of SPRING Walk led by Ron Reid Meet at Bluebird Ranch, corner of Wylie Rd. and McNamee Rd. Media Contact: Tom Wilson (795) 345-1919

Community Clean-Ups

Friday, April 22, 7:00PM – Belfountain: Belfountain Community Organization is hosting an Earth Day Rock and Litter Collection walk. Meet at Higher Ground Café. Media Contact: Secretary@Belfountain.ca  

Saturday, April 23, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Pickering: Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust will be hosting a clean-up event at the Ruth Nature Reserve. Meet at the dead-end of Pickering Uxbridge Townline Road, east of Lakeridge Road.

Saturday, April 23, 10:00AM – Orillia: The Couchiching Conservancy is hosting a group clean-up at Scout Valley in Orillia at one of the Couchiching Conservancy’s public easements.

Saturday, April 23, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM – Oshawa: Friend of Second Marsh will be hosting a community clean-up along Colonel Sam Drive, adjacent to the Oshawa Second Marsh.

Sunday, April 24, 10:00AM – Orillia: Green Orillia will be hosting a community clean-up. Meet at the Orillia Public Library courtyard.

Sunday, April 24, 1:00 PM – Town of Blue Mountains: Climate Action Now Network will be hosting a community clean up. Meet in the parking lot at Little River Beach Park (Thornbury Harbour).

For more information about Yours to Protect Weekend, please visit: https://environmentaldefence.ca/ytpweekend/

For background information about the Yours to Protect movement, please visit: https://yourstoprotect.ca/

ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Allen Braude, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca

Or the media contacts listed for each event listed above