A clean and beautiful natural environment is a vital component of any truly great city and Toronto is proud to be a world leader on environmental issues.

We are fortunate to have inherited a priceless legacy of parkland, ravines and an incredible tree canopy. Toronto is truly a City within a Park! By preserving and enhancing this green legacy, we can go a long way toward improving the quality of the air we breathe. We can also ensure the sustainability of our precious water resources and play a significant role in addressing climate change.

Toronto's first Green Tie fundraising event, gTO, is an opportunity for the entire community -- government, business and city residents -- to join together in making Toronto a better place to live, work and play. At the same time, we preserve our green legacy for generations to come. Everyone has a role to play in keeping Toronto healthy and green.

I would like to thank the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation for hosting gT0 and, in particular, thank all sponsors and participants here today. You are making a difference in keeping Toronto great and creating a better tomorrow!

Mayor David Miller

The City of Toronto currently manages, with public funds, about 7,400 hectares of green space and an urban forest of over 3 million trees. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the entire community to look after these invaluable natural assets. A contribution to gTO1 is an investment in protecting, preserving and enhancing Toronto's parks and public green spaces, and urban forest which all contribute to sustaining a healthy and highly livable community.

Or put another way:

The Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organization established to protect, preserve and enhance Toronto's parks, public green spaces and urban forest. The Foundation works with individuals and corporate donors and the community to accomplish its mandate.

The Foundation looks for solutions that contribute to the three key elements of sustainability: environment, economy and community.

Environment

By aiming to preserve and enhance Toronto's parks, natural areas and trees, the Foundation is poised to be a significant contributor to offsetting the effects of climate change and air/water pollution. Ongoing initiatives:

By working to create a more beautiful city through better parks, preserved natural areas and more trees, the Foundation helps make Toronto more livable and attractive to people, therefore becoming a good place to locate a business that depends upon a local labour force.

Help build a green and beautiful city with quality parks and a healthy urban forest with the Foundation. You will contribute to Toronto's green infrastructure, which exerts a calming influence on urban life, adds value to our neighbourhoods, and helps to support safe communities and healthy lifestyles.

Parks are Toronto's public gardens. Without them, the lives of every citizen would be poorer. The Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation promotes philanthropy, corporate support and community involvement to achieve a range of enhancements to the parks system that can no longer be achieved through City funding alone.

With a population of more than 2.5 million people, Toronto's nearly 7,400 ha. of public parkland and over 1,500 parks provide essential public space for play, sports, culture and quiet places to experience nature in the city. In an era of growing public use of parks, but declining public funds and there is an urgent need to involve private stakeholders to invest in our park system.

HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED

The Foundation is guided by a Board of Directors that collaborates with the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation Department to identify areas of need. Working in partnership with corporations, foundations, private donors and community groups, the Foundation provides a range of enhancements to Toronto's parks that could not otherwise be achieved.

TO PARTICIPATE :