Canadian Taxpayer Federation Takes Shots at National Heritage

"According to a media report Monday, the bicentennial celebrations will include re-enactments of the war's famous battles, repairs to monuments and plaques, a national essay-writing competition, a documentary, a new visitor centre at Fort York in Toronto, and a new website dedicated to the war between the U.S. and Canada that resulted in the White House and Capital Building being burned during a British raid on Washington in 1814.

A government source denounced the $100 million figure reported Monday, saying the government was planning to spend "significantly less."

Officials at the department of heritage declined interview requests from QMI Agency, but a spokesman for Heritage Minister James Moore said the government would be announcing details of the bicentennial "in due course."

It's all done on a shoe sting anyway out of minor tourism and local budgets anyway so the CTF can reduce the rhetoric a bit.

Trails of 1812

Niagara 1812

Binational Alliance

Stevensville Conservaton Area - Right for Trail Building Workshop

"The topography at the Stevensville Conservation Area lends itself to a introductory level of trailbuilding workshop. The existing slopes are moderate and judging from a preliminary investigation, the soil seems to be a sandy clay. Both perfect features for instruction."

Professional Trail Builders Association

Ontario Trails

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Ski Patrollers Keep Ontario Trails Safe

"Our biggest thing is, we actually go on the hill and get them," says Bruce Boynton, president of the Sault zone.

The province is broken up into nine geographic zones, which includes the Sault area.

There are 32 local volunteers ranging in age from 19 to 72 who are members of the Sault CSPS chapter. They provide services at Searchmont Resort, Stokely Creek Resort and Hiawatha Nordic Ski Centre.

CSPS members are highly trained individuals who deal with a variety of injuries and situations, says Boynton, who has been a safety ski patrol volunteer for 30 years.

Ontario Cross Country Ski Trails

About Ontario Cross Country Ski Trails

Morning Round Up

Come celebrate 11 years of Epic 8 racing at Mansfield! Mansfield Outdoor Centre is the ideal location providing excellent riding, a friendly atmosphere and unparelleled camping facilities. An action-packed day of fun awaits you at the Epic 8!

Epic 8 Racing at Mansfield


The Muskoka Lakes District, with the big three lakes – Joseph, Rosseau, and Muskoka – and thousands of smaller lakes, surround the tiny town of Bala and its cranberry marshes, just over 100 miles north of Toronto The Cranberry trails are just north of the Bala Falls, along Route 169. There are six trails that cross wetlands and bedrock and meander through forest, for 14 km, and they are great for hiking and mountain biking for about half the year and for skiing and snowshoeing the cooler half of the year.

Read more at Suite101


Here's a good close-up shot of a young moose swimming across a Canadian lake north Red Lake, Ontario.
Moose on Lake

There's plenty to do to keep them busy during March break week with fun at provincial parks, spring skiing and snowboarding, festivals, indoor play parks and more.

Like a walk in the park

Ontario Parks have a maple syrup festival, bird watching and cross-country skiing, says publicist Judy Hammond.

Ontario Trails
Toronto Sun

Georgian Triangle Snowshoers

You know that old story about walking in four feet of snow and going uphill both ways? The Georgian Triangle Snowshoers sure do.

The Snowshoers are a Facebook-based group of outdoors enthusiasts who meet once or twice a week at the south end of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, centred on The Blue Mountains region. The area is best-known as a haven for alpine activities, with Blue Mountain Resort as the hub along with several private clubs, but truthfully, it’s just as good an area for Nordic activities.

Ontario Snowshoe Trails

Velo Quebec Doing Ontario Tours

The 2011 edition has an all-Ontario itinerary. It starts in Brockville on Saturday, Aug. 6, and ends up back there on Friday, Aug. 12.

It includes stops in Perth, Sydenham, Belleville and Kingston, with optional add-ons through Prince Edward County and the Thousand Islands.

Cyclists can expect to pedal just under 100 kilometres a day, or 550 kilometres in total, though there are designated shortcuts if you're tired and add-ons if you've got energy to burn. (The day's planned trip goes ahead no matter what the weather, so rain gear is a must.)

Ontario Cycling Trails

Three Exciting Places to Do things this March Break

"Dog parks in Ontario, Canada - dog friendly park, beach, and off-leash areas local to Toronto, Ottawa, and throughout Ontario."
Dog Parks

"Arrowhead Provincial Park, north of Huntsville, has 29 kilometres of cross-country trails along with 12 kilometres of skate-skiing trails. www.ontarioparks.com Enjoy the last blast of winter at Blue Mountain Resort on Georgian Bay from March 14 to 18."
Keep Busy this March Break

"The Pine Ridge Hiking Club is one of nine member clubs with the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association. The nine clubs maintain the 500 kilometre Ganaraska Hiking Trail from Port Hope on Lake Ontario to the Bruce Trail near Collingwood, with side trails to ..."
Take a Northumberland Hike

Discovery Walks - Toronto March Break Activities

Residents can explore their city on foot. The Discovery Walks program is a series of 11 self-guided walks linking ravines, parks and neighbourhoods. Ranging from 1.5 to 11 kilometres, the walks are designed to showcase Toronto’s outstanding natural features, cultural and historical attractions. Brochures and maps are available for pick up at civic centres.

Toronto Trails

Ontario Trail Events

Park's Canada and Rideau Upgrades

Rapid Media TV talks to Parks Canada at this year's Outdoor Adventure Show in Toronto, Ontario.

Rideau Trail

Eastern Ontario Trails

Centretown News On-line

The contest, hosted by Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation and Ottawa Tourism, is about promoting Ottawa’s outdoor adventure industry, says Steve Bruno, partnership co-ordinator at Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.

“We looked at Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley and we know they have a big rafting industry there that isn’t getting as much attention as they’d like from the province in terms of marketing,” says Bruno.

Marketing indeed, the prize is worth over $25,000 for a seven-day adventure trip that includes a stay at the Château Laurier and a $1,000 gift card to Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Ontario Trails Council

Incredible Spring Riding

"From the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Cochrane is about a 10-hour drive, while trailering. It’s straight up Highway 11 and it’s good going the whole way, with lots of services available en route. You might balk at that long a drive, but when the alternative is parking your sled until next winter, it’s hardly any bother at all. So come early, come late: either to kick off your sledding early or to ride until the spring snow melts out from under your tracks, the Northern Corridor is the place to be."

Ontario Snowmobile Trails

OFSC

North Eastern Ontario Trails

Northumberland Events

* The Trillium Walkers invite you along on their five-or 10-km. walk, starting at 9 a.m. For more information, call 905-372-6430 or 905-373-6048.

Ontario Trails Map

Canada and Ontario invest in infrastructure and trails at Pinery Provincial Park

PINERY PROVINCIAL PARK – Bev Shipley, Member of Parliament for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex and Maria Van Bommel, Member of Provincial Parliament for L-K-M today announced stimulus funding that will benefit local workers and the local economy in Lambton Shores and area, and improve local infrastructure for years to come. Today’s investment of $8,825,000 in joint federal and provincial funding will rehabilitate, renovate and improve the trails, roads and facilities in the Pinery Provincial Park.

Ontario Trails Council

Multimedia Gallery: Ontario

Click on the link to view all photos from the 2010 Tour for Kids. All pictures are High Resolution prints.

Project Coordinator - Lake Erie Cycling Route, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Toronto and southwestern Ontario

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Position: Project Coordinator--Lake Erie Cycling Tourism Route
Organization: Waterfront Regeneration Trust http://www.waterfronttrail.org
Location: Toronto and southwestern Ontario

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust (WRT) is embarking on new project to establish a partnership of municipalities to create a signed cycling route along the north shore of Lake Erie from Fort Erie to Windsor---approximately 620 km. This route would connect to the 720 km Waterfront Trail, which links 41 communities along the north shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. At the Ontario/Quebec border the route continues as part of La Route verte.

More speaker confirmations for Trailhead Ontario

Trailhead Ontario is pleased to confirm; Jane Murphy from Trans Canada Trails speaking of Biodiversity along the Trans Canada Trail, Arlene White from the Bianational Tourism and Economic Alliance (Niagara region) Speaking on the Peace Trail Initiative.

Binational Alliance

Trans Canada Trail

Arthur Enterprise News - Active Transportation Plan has many benefits, council told

"A whopping 54 per cent of adults in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) are considered to be overweight or obese. In Wellington County 18 per cent of youth are overweight, compared to six per cent in Guelph and 10 per cent in the province. In fact, 12 to 13 per cent of five-year-olds in WDG are already overweight/obese.
Public Health’s Karen Armstrong, the WDG ‘in Motion’ coordinator, presented the startling statistics to Wellington North Council on Monday evening. She attended the meeting to brief councillors about the ‘in Motion’ program and explain how it hopes to link bicycle and walking trails throughout Wellington County."

Ontario Hiking and Walking Trails

Hike Ontario

Live Right Now

Changes at our Borders and Structuring New Relationships

World Juniors, Boxing day Sales and Christmas family visits traffic did not slow you at the Border! Since 2007 border traffic delays do not reduce traffic. In fact the borders are open, the traffic is flowing - Nexxus in the best way to get through the border.

I'm at the Binational Tourism Alliance in Niagara Falls. The negative trends of Sars, West Nile and the change in security are behind us. Canadians and Americans have transitioned away from not travelling because of border delay or security concerns.

The main message - you have to give people a reason to travel and your price point has to be competative. So you have to have quality tourism products, and a marketing strategy. Lack of knowledge about products ensures people won't find you. The border itself and its processes are not a deterrent to travel. Preenter Jason Burgess Deloitte Travel

Ontario Trails

Ontario Outdoor Adventure Show

"The highlight of the presentations was – of course – Kevin Callan. He was promoting his soon-to-be released book “Top 50 Canoe Routes of Ontario” due out at the end of March. He said it’s kind of like a “Best Of” album, with a few new routes as well (previously unreleased tracks?). He’s also featured in the Classic Canadian Adventure Contest, where the winner will go on a 7-day series of adventures along side Kevin. This provided him the opportunity to plead with the audience to sign up."

Ontario Canoe and Kayak Trails

Cycle for Sight | Bike Events T.O.

"Cycle for Sight is a one day cycling event from Toronto to Collingwood to support the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Canada's leading charity funding vision research. Participants will be supported en route with rest stops, a finish line party/dinner and get return transportation for rider and bike. Distances available will be 70km, 142km and optional 160km. This is not a closed course. See what you're made of."

Ontario Trails Events - over 2650!!