News
What’s the latest at Small Change Fund? Find out below.

Sprawl: It’s Costing You More Than You Think
Next Tuesday, May 17th our partners at the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition are hosting an online panel discussion on the harmful effects of urban sprawl….

Art Auction in Support of Anishnabe-led Moose Research Project
Small Change Fund is honoured to partner with the Anishnabe Moose Research Committee on the Anishnabe-led Moose Research Project. The aim is to protect the…

Press Release: Peel Council ignores public good, expert recommendations and climate imperative in the approval of a new 2051 Official Plan
Peel Council ignores public good, expert recommendations and climate imperative in the approval of a new 2051 Official Plan Today, Peel Regional council ignored more…

New Report: Who Will Take Care of Lake Simcoe?
A 2022 Update on the “Lake Simcoe Under Pressure” Report This morning, our partners at the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition and Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition…

New Project: Better Planning for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
We have partnered with Friends of the Golden Horseshoe, led by former Toronto mayor David Crombie, to address policies on planning, environment and affordable housing…

Press Release: Stick it to the Highways
Crowdfunding Group calls on Ontarians to donate their Car Licence Sticker Refund to fight Highways Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Government wants to build two…

Newsletter: April 2022
A Note From Our Car-driving President I received my refund from the Ontario government for my car licence last week. To my surprise, it was…

Project Update: Stop Sprawl Orillia
Yesterday, Orillia City Council unanimously voted for Option 2. This Option was based on the Community Vision Statement: “Orillia will focus the majority of development…

Update: Stop Sprawl in Peel Region
Yesterday, the Peel Planning and Growth Committee elected to move forward with the urban boundary expansion. While disappointing, this news is not the end for…

New Project: Building Momentum – reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Stratford and Perth
We are partnering with Climate Momentum to engage residents of Stratford and Perth County in climate action. We will support individuals and communities in reducing…

New Project: Wetlands not Warehouses – Save the Garner Marsh
We are partnering with Save our Streams Hamilton to protect the Garner Marsh in Ancaster, Ontario from destruction. The Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) denied an…

New Projects: Stop Sprawl York Region and Stop Sprawl in Peel Region
Urban sprawl continues to threaten farmland and nature in Ontario and we continue to fight it. In York Region, we are advocating for better growth…

Newsletter: March 2022
A Word from our President It’s difficult to write this month’s message to you. We seem to be in a constant state of fear and…

Good News from Blair!
Since last May, we have been fighting a Minister’s Zoning Order approving a one million square foot warehouse development, plus one million square feet of…

Welcome, Sabah!
We are excited to welcome Sabah to the Small Change Fund team as Climate Action Ontario organizer. Sabah is working on our campaign to push…

New Project: Protecting the Beaver Valley
133 acres of combined greenspace and farmland are currently at risk of development in the heart of the Beaver Valley, part of the UNESCO Niagara…

New Project: Safeguarding the Right of Canadians to have Naturalized Gardens
Naturalized gardens have many community and ecological benefits, including: Improving air quality Storing carbon Preventing flooding Producing a natural cooling effect Providing habitat for native…

Press Release: New research suggests Highway 413 & Bradford Bypass could have grave implications for communities in 905 and in the Greenbelt
Impacts on residents, drinking water, climate targets, and farmland need to be considered as part of highway reviews Simcoe County, Ont. – New research maps…

Crowdfunding in the News
Crowdfunding has been in the news a lot in the last couple of weeks – and it hasn’t all been good publicity. Last Monday, our…

New Project: Stop Sprawl Orillia
The battle against urban sprawl continues, this time in Orillia. We are fighting to protect 939 acres, including critical farmland, from annexation in a proposed…

Trees Cut Down in Small’s Creek Despite Council Motion
In spite of the unanimous council motion earlier this month, last week Metrolinx began construction in Small’s Creek ravine with devastating impact. Hundreds of trees…

Halton Council Votes to Save 5,000 Acres of Farmland
Yesterday, Halton Regional Council voted 15-9 to save 5,000 acres of farmland in the Halton region. The motion calls for zero urban boundary expansion through…

Newsletter: February 2022
A Message from our Chief Trucker With the truckers’ ongoing “freedom protests,” funded largely through crowdfunding, the pitfalls of this fundraising tool have made international…

Is Crowdfunding Becoming a Tool of Evil?
The truckers’ “freedom protests” are getting worldwide attention. Yet these protests have robbed a lot of other people of their own freedoms, causing significant duress…

Press Release: Federal government refuses to revisit decision on Bradford Bypass
‘Lake Simcoe abandoned by feds and province’ say organizers Simcoe County, ON – The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada has announced it will not revisit…

Update: Help Toronto Save its Green Spaces from Destruction
Yesterday, Toronto City Council unanimously passed a motion calling for Metrolinx to suspend construction operations in Small’s Creek until a restoration plan is implemented. The…

New Project: Join the DAMN Campaign
We have partnered with the Reform Gravel Mining Coalition to Demand A Moratorium Now! We are supporting this vital initiative to impose a moratorium…

New Project: Protecting and Restoring Lake Simcoe
We are partnering with the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition to fight the Bradford Bypass and save Lake Simcoe and the surrounding environment. The proposed Bradford…

New Project: Youth Transit Project
Sometimes a bus pass isn’t just a bus pass, but a passport to change. The City of Kingston piloted an award-winning initiative to transform public…

Action Alert: Demand the government decontaminate dump on Mohawk Land
After a 2019 visit to Canada, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Toxics reported: “There exists a pattern in Canada where marginalized groups,…

Success in Oakville
Thanks to dedicated Halton residents who called and emailed their representatives, Oakville Council unanimously agreed to submit harsh criticisms on the proposed expansion of the…

Welcome, Juan!
We are thrilled to welcome Juan to the Small Change Fund team in their role as Climate Action Prairie Organizer. Juan joins our efforts to…

Action Alert: Halton, demand protection for farmland
Halton Regional Councillors vote on February 9th – urge them to vote “NO” to Urban Boundary Expansion. It’s easy for Halton residents to join the…

New Project: Algonquin-led Moose Research Project
Small Change Fund is honoured to partner on the Algonquin-led Moose Research Project with the Algonquin Moose Research Committee. This is a much-needed initiative to…

New Project: Help Save 5,000 Acres of Farmland in Halton
We have partnered with Stop Sprawl Halton in a fight to save 5,000 acres of prime farmland. The race is on to convince at least…

New Project: Preserve a waterfront property for nature, forever
Happy December! To celebrate the start of a new month, we’re introducing you to another new project We are crowdfunding to create the Helen Hutchison…

New Project: Next Child in the Woods
New project alert! We are partnering with The Guelph Outdoor School to get more children outside and involved with nature. Next Child in the Woods…

Major Win for Hamilton and Nature
On Friday, Hamilton City Council voted 13-3 to save 3,300 acres of prime farmland. Instead of expanding the urban boundary, the council committed to focus…

Action Alert: Hamilton, take a stand for Farmland
Alongside our partners, Stop Sprawl Hamilton Ontario (SSHO), we are fighting hard against the proposed Urban Boundary Expansion in Hamilton. An expanded urban boundary would…

Math Doesn’t Add Up for Saskatchewan’s “Fair” Electric Vehicle Tax
The Saskatchewan provincial government defended the October 1st EV Tax as a means of making road usage costs “fair” for all drivers. But dig a…

New Project: Experiential Waste Management Education
It’s never been more important to assist today’s youth in fearlessly tackling the climate crisis. We have partnered with Green Urban Revitalization to support an…

New project: Educating Farmers in BC about the value of donating land for future generations
Want to hear something scary? Developers are paving over Canadian farmland at record rates to make room for urban sprawl. Unfortunately, many aging farmers are…

New Project: Farms NOT Fridges
Alongside our new partners, Jones Baseline Community, we are fighting to protect 27 acres of first-class farmland in Guelph/Eramosa, as well as the safety of…

Update: No MZO in Blair
A new CBC article features our ongoing fight against the Minister Zoning Order (MZO) in Blair, Ontario with our partners, Blair Village Engaged. MZOs circumvent…

Congratulations, Jacqueline!
We’re happy to congratulate Jacqueline Lee-Tam on her new role as co-director with our partners at the Climate Justice Organizing Hub, an organization which provides…

Kicking asphalt and taking names!
Puzzled, or perhaps amused, by Saskatchewanians for Sidewalk Sustenance and their scandalous sidewalk tax? Last week we launched a satirical campaign against Saskatchewan’s new tax…

New Project: Agency for Water
We are proud to partner with Wellington Watcher Watchers on a new project to support Indigenous led water governance. This project begins with a pilot…

New Project: Communicating the Health Case for Climate Action
Action on the climate crisis isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for people, too. We are excited to partner with health professionals from…

In Memoriam: Daniel Teklu
We are sad to tell you about the tragic passing of our co-worker, Daniel, who we lost suddenly on August 13th. Daniel brought enthusiasm and…

Stop Sprawl Hamilton – Taking a Stand for Farmland
Over 3,300 acres of beautiful and productive land surrounding the City of Hamilton is at risk as developers seek to expand the city’s urban boundaries….

U.N. Climate Report
We’re at Code Red. Not approaching it. Not pushing it. At Code Red. The U.N. climate report released August 9th presented grim, but not unexpected,…

Happy news!!
Small Change Fund would like to congratulate Aisling, our former Executive Director and now Board Member, on becoming a new mother! Maeve Simone Afia Dadson…

Help Stop Urban Sprawl in Hamilton
Stop Sprawl Hamilton is unstoppable! In just two weeks we’ve already reached 65% of the crowdfunding goal. Over 3,300 acres of beautiful and productive land…

Nature United Press Release
A 2021 study led by Nature United confirmed the vital role natural climate solutions have to play in our fight against climate change. The natural…

Buses, and Shuttles, and Trains, Oh my!
When was the last time you thought about all the good that comes from the humble city bus? You may not realize it, but public…

Welcome, Daniel!
Small Change Fund welcomes Daniel Teklu to our team as Bookkeeper! Daniel was born and raised in Ethiopia and moved to Canada three years ago….

Success Story Feature: Climate Change Education in Chignecto
Last year we engaged in climate change education with EOS Eco-Energy Inc in the Chignecto region. This region is the narrow strip of land that…

Why Crowdfunding?
You have the cause and the passion, but you don’t necessarily have the funds to make your vision happen. Enter crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is a valuable…

Welcome, Vinofa!
Small Change Fund would like to welcome Vinofa Muthulingam to our team as a Community Worker! Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Vinofa attended X…

What is Natural Infrastructure?
Earlier this year the Canadian Federal Government announced a $200 million Natural Infrastructure Fund in their Budget 2021. But what exactly is Natural Infrastructure? Natural…