Our membership drive is all year long. We want to thank the groups that have indicated they will be renewing because they believe in the work we are doing at OTC! In the last couple of weeks and going forward we have:
Town of Orangeville
The Town of Orangeville has twenty kilometres of multi-surface trails. The trails system currently links to the Island Lake Conservation Area.
Carolinian Canada Coalition
Carolinian Canada's Deep South EcoTrail Network
EcoTrails are places to connect...
nature, community and a healthy future.
Explore local treasures. Share with neighbours. Grow Wild for healthy habitats.
EcoTrail hosts who own and manage trails and wayside stops in this growing network invite you to visit.
Each EcoTrail celebrates the unique nature of Canada's deep south.
Spot a turtle.
Visit a showcase garden.
Add your story.
Take-home an idea for your backyard.
Tread lightly, and you'll come away more firmly rooted with a sense of place.
Our EcoTrail Network is starting to grow across Carolinian Canada.
Explore EcoTrails across Carolinian Canada
Visit one of our pilot EcoTrails
Share Your Trail
Learn more about adding your trail to the EcoTrail Network
University of Windsor
The conversion of Sunset from car traffic to foot traffic is continuing on the UWindsor Campus.
Construction crews have completed new sidewalks and landscaping in front of the Chrysler hall complex leading towards Wyandotte Street and are now working on the area between Lambton Tower and Wyandotte.
Included in the finished space is new “learning pods”. These will provide space for students to sit, work on projects or enjoy a snack. They feature different seating arrangements, plus and lighting for night time.
Photo credit windsornewsdotca
National Capital CommissionThis is nature at its most accessible — a band of green encircling Ottawa from west to east. Head out and explore the Greenbelt for yourself!
History
The Greenbelt is 20,000 hectares of green space, including farms, forests and wetlands. It was created in the 1950s to protect the rural land bordering the Capital from urban sprawl. It has since become the largest publicly owned greenbelt in the world. Most of the Greenbelt (14,950 hectares) is owned by the NCC.
Over the years we have worked on all trails behalf in Ontario. Everyday we make a difference for trails somewhere in Ontario.
Please review our recent note to the membership at the 2017 AGM
An Ontario Trails Council Update
Incorporated in 1991, the OTC is a registered charity promoting the management, use, preservation and development of recreational trails in Ontario.
The OTC offers a variety of trail related services that it has developed over the years to meet the needs of its members:
- Awards and Recognitions
- Trail Representations – on website and Social media
- Trail Website – 1.2 million unique visitors per year, 5 million trail trips planned, in top 3% of websites worldwide.
- Ontario Trails Social Network – over 80,000 followers.
- Trailwise Newsletter – weekly distribution, 1100 municipal and organization subscribers.
- Trail Programs and Services – education certification program Algonquin College and trail auditing, Georgian Bay Coast and G2G
- Trailhead Trail Conferences and Learning Symposiums – since 2002 OTC has run 12 provincial level conferences, and over 200 community symposiums on trails.
- Trail Management and Master Plans – Ottawa Valley, Kinghorn, GBCT
- Regional Trail Council Management Model and Development – in 52 Ontario Counties and Cities, including North Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
- Government Relations and Regulations – OTC is lead in creating an environment with the Province that saw the Province take our concerns seriously enough to implement or adjust:
- Ontario Trails Strategy 2005
- Active 2010 – we endorsed and facilitated grants thorough this process
- Ontario Trails Strategy Implementation Plan 2014
- Ontario Trails Coordinating Committee 2006-17
- Community in Action Fund Grant Stream 2011
- Ontario Government Recognizes OTC as OTCC Co-Chair 2008-17
- Ontario Trails Act - 2016
- Ontario Woodlot Act preservation 2007
- Line Fences Act modification 2004
- Trillium Trail Network 2011
- Conservation Act Recommendations 2015
- National Trails Coalition 2008-2017
- Premier Wynne 9-point Commitment to Trails 2014
- Ontario Government declares OTC as Lead Partner 2011
- Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) 2007, 2010, 2013
- Municipal Act Trail Inventory 2009 + MNR LIO Trails Q/A 2007-11
- MNR + MNRF Forestry Road and Access Policies – 2005, 2009, 2014
- Ontario Realty Corp Rail Trail Inventory and Policy 2007, 2011
The Ontario Trails Council has grown in scope and function since 2002. At that time, the OTC received an 18-month Ontario Trillium (OTF) grant to support its growth in governance, branding and membership.
In 2002 the OTC had 32 members, not all were paying.
The OTC accomplished its growth and development goals such that it was a key lead organization in persistent recommending to the Province of Ontario that there was a need for an Ontario Trails Strategy, supporting legislation and trail friendly regulation. Members of OTC had requested this since 1976.
In 2005 the OTC secured another 4-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
In 2010 the OTC secured another OTF Grant to develop its professional trails certificate program. This 14- module program was developed by trail professionals from the OTC and fully vetted and certified by Algonquin College. Ontario Trails Council trains people in the community and on-line through Algonquin College and Ontario Parks Association.
Over the years the OTC has written or supported community leaders seeking grant support or grant funds:
- The Wounded Warrior supported Horses Heal Canada Program in Campbellcroft
- Kinghorn Rail Trail Project
- Georgian Bay Coast Trail
- Guelph to Goderich Rail Trail
- Hamilton Burlington Trails Committee
- Pan-Am Path
- Prescott-Russell Rail Trail
- Frontenac Biosphere Reserve
- Renfrew County Rail Trail
- VMUTS
We have written grants for members or supported member requests for well over $2.5 million in grants from a variety of granting organizations. These grants are for others – not the OTC.
Additionally, since 2005 the OTC has been a member of the Canadian Trails Federation. In 2007, our Executive Director worked through the CTF as its VP to partner with the COHV and CCSO to create the National Trails Coalition. This OTC work led to the NTC trail funding program in 2009-11, and 2014-16.
Through this grant program we supported more than $83 million invested in 734 trail projects. Our Executive Director was seconded (2014-2016) as National Project Administrator for 120 of these projects, and in 2008-12 was an NTC Director to their Board, offering top level national leadership to the organization.
OTC, therefore, had a lead position on the 474 projects of all types, snowmobile, ORV and NM in 2009.
The OTC CEO is currently President of the Canadian Trails Federation and Chair of the National Trails Coalition, so OTC continues to influence national directions and we are hopeful of renewed funding for trails at the National level.Many grants were approved through this partner process, with OTC involvement in 2009-11 and 2014- 16 for grants more than @3,000,000 for Ontario’s trails. We commend OTC Recipients for their work and finding the matching funds.
In closing, the OTC is an organization that has grown in influence in the sector, both in Ontario and across Canada. Many provinces emulate our work, and appreciate our leadership. We now have over 200 - member organizations, and we appreciate the support of big cities, community trail organizations, other provincial federations and associations, and local clubs. to name a few. Government at all levels respects our input.
We have made 100’s of communities better through our efforts.
As we head into another year we are working on:
- A New Strategic Business Plan
- Trails Tourism Reports – RTO6 and Province Wide
- Non-Motorized Masterplans
- Trail Classification with Cowan Insurance and the MTCS
- First Nations Relations
- Trailhead Canada
- Ontario Trails Strategy
Thank you.
Ontario Trails News - Login Functionality is back!
Over 400 people have signed up over the years for this web page functionality. With so much of the available OTC information on trails really being front page facing, this back end material didn't offer much value added.
However OTC does have specifically targeted information that is based on our most frequent requests, so we've synthesized the important stuff into key links and access locations to assist your desire as a trail community to learn more.
Pleased review your login and link. Many of you may want to turn on the login functionality given the renewed access to information. Or if you have turned it off and you wish to be removed from this service let us know.
Ontario Trails simplifies your Membership Connection!
Over the years the Ontario Trails Council has worked to provide services that give you value and results for your membership support. We are constantly working to improve services and your ability to easily provide feedback on our efforts.
In March the OTC Board endorsed moving to a more automated system of membership management, deciding to use the platform Memberplanet. More information on this can be found at Memberplanet.
The OTC is working to implement this system. The ways to Memberplanet should make membership management easier include:
1) Account information accuracy
2) On-line membership renewal
3) Contact status updates
4) Group news
The membership planet platform provides all of these, including invoicing and receipt generation functions. So if you have an A/P department to report too, this should make your paper trail readily available to you!
When you start the process you'll be directed to this window. We are working on updating existing members to the database. So if you are an existing member, just bookmark this information for reference. We'll send you reminders about renewing at renewal time, in late November each year.
You'll be asked to complete profile questions and you'll end up with a distinct member profile, like the one below.
You'll be asked to complete the purchase by selecting your membership level.
You'll be asked to provide any additional information -
At this point checkout by Paypal.
If you prefer the old way, the forms and the sending of information is still available at any of the following pages:
BENEFITS
JOIN
PARTNERS
TESTIMONIALS
Trailhead Canada Program Updates and More!
The Planning Committee is pleased to announce a growing and stronger program for trails through Trailhead Canada! we wish to thank the Canadian Trails Federation for their financial support of the event.
OTHER TRAILHEAD CANADA NEWS
1) We are pleased to have added Mr. Bruce Devine, Senior Manager, Facilities and Programs; Gestionnaire principal, Installation et programmes, National Capital Commission, as a participant and a session moderator.
2) And that the Canadian Trails Federation has committed $8,000.00 each towards Trailhead Canada!
3) Be sure to nominate somebody you know for a CTF-FNS Award!
Canadian Trail Awards
4) Watch the website for program updates!
Itinerary
5) Check out the Presenters.
World Class!
Early Bird Discounts end September 15th, 2017 -
Trailheadcanada.com
Share the logo on your website - show your support for Canadian Trails!
In Spring of 2018 trail enthusiasts and supporters are headed to Sault Ste Marie for two days of meetings and lively discussion about all types of trails.
Our hosts invite you to join us to hear stories from wood and river, hill and valley. We will be talking about the great adventures we share and how to get more folks to love the outdoors the way we do.
In 2015 we secured 101 respondents to our "The Value of Trails - Measuring the Economic Impact of Trails Survey." We've added 18 more to the 2017 updates.
We have a ways to go. Click through the screen capture below to access the survey.
There are many metrics to measure in determining the economic impact of trails, and tourism in just one factor. In order to accurately represent a closer economic impact of trails we are requesting your speedy response to our Call to Action for Your Input to our Value of Trails 2017 survey.
With your help we will make an even stronger case for trails and the supports you require to provide a top notch experience at each of your trail destinations. We are also accepting new responses!
Many Thanks!
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