407 ETR marks Pollinator Week with native plant giveaway and expanded partnership with Canadian Wildlife Federation

$2 million investment supports habitat near the Highway 407 ETR corridor and beyond, helping protect monarch migration routes and strengthening regional biodiversity. 

TORONTO, June 26, 2026 /CNW/ - This Pollinator Week, 407 ETR is expanding its partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), committing $2 million over four years to restore and protect pollinator habitat in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

This next phase builds on a successful flagship initiative focused on enhancing biodiversity along the Highway 407 ETR corridor and beyond -- land known as 'rights-of-way' that plays a meaningful role in supporting pollinators, including monarch butterflies.

407 ETR expands its partnership with Canadian Wildlife Federation to help restore and protect pollinator habitat.

Getting commuters of all kinds where they need to be.

Monarch butterflies rely on native plants to fuel their annual migration between Canada and Mexico. Through this partnership, 407 ETR is supporting large-scale habitat restoration, conservation leadership and community engagement.

"The Highway 407 ETR corridor closely aligns with the monarch butterfly migration route," says Jose Espinosa, President & CEO, 407 ETR. "Through our partnership with CWF, we're not only restoring vital pollinator habitats in municipalities along the corridor -- we're helping build healthier, more resilient ecosystems across the GTA."

From 2023 to 2025, the program supported 15 restoration projects from Burlington to Bowmanville, restoring nearly 15 hectares across the GTA. Over the next four years, it will expand to 26 additional projects and 35 hectares -- helping create and strengthen critical habitat for pollinators, including monarch butterflies and native bees. Combined, the sponsorship will ultimately support the restoration of 50 hectares of native meadow habitat for pollinators across the GTA between 2023 and 2030.

"Pollinators connect us all," says Sean Southey, CEO, Canadian Wildlife Federation. "407 ETR's sponsorship allows CWF and our partners to restore habitat, inspire conservation action and help people become part of the solution. We are grateful for 407 ETR's commitment to nature and excited about the difference that we can make together for monarchs, native bees, and the ecosystems that sustain us."

As part of this partnership, 407 ETR and the Canadian Wildlife Federation are expanding community engagement initiatives to connect people directly with conservation efforts. This includes native plant giveaways across the GTA to support pollinator-friendly gardening at home and the development of a Virtual Canadian Centre for Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Hub to broaden access to education and resources across the region.

Fast Facts

• There are over 200,000 kilometres of roadways in Ontario, representing tens of thousands of hectares of vegetated land with potential to provide pollinator habitat.
• There are more than 800 species of native bees in Canada¹, and 8 are considered at risk².
• The eastern population of the monarch butterfly has declined by more than 80% over the past 25 years³.
• 407 ETR is proud to support pollinator awareness and education as a sponsor of Bees: A Story of Survival at the Royal Ontario Museum on now until October. The new immersive experience explores the critical role bees play in our ecosystems with the beauty they provide through art.
• GTA residents can support pollinators with native species for their gardens. Native plants have co-evolved with the wildlife of that area and are often their perfect food. They require less maintenance, are less susceptible to disease and pests, and many produce colourful blooms. Learn more at 407etr.com/monarchroute.
• The Company is funding a phytoremediation study with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Royal Military College and Queen's University. The research is exploring the use of biotechnology and halophyte plants to remediate salt-contaminated soils and reduce the environmental impact of road salt application.
• Since 2023, with the support of Trees for Life, over 60,000 native trees were planted along Highway 407 ETR helping restore habitat, improve air quality and strengthen ecological resilience in surrounding communities.

Hashtags: #CommunityImpact #MonarchButterfly #407ETR #GTA #CanadianWildlifeFederation #EnviornmentalImpact #CorporateCitizenship #Biodiversity #PollinatorWeek

About 407 ETR

Highway 407 ETR is an all-electronic open-access toll highway located in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. The highway spans 108 kilometres from Burlington in the west to Pickering in the east.

407 International Inc. is the sole shareholder of 407 ETR and is owned by:

• Cintra Global S.E., a subsidiary of Ferrovial S.A. (48.29%)
• Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and other institutional investors with non-controlling interests (44.20%)
• Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) (7.51%)

About Canadian Wildlife Federation

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, conducting research, taking action to conserve habitat and wildlife, recommending legislative and policy changes, and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. Visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca for more information.

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	^1 Sheffield, C.S., Heron, J., Gibbs, J., Onuferko, T.M., Oram, R., Best, L., deSilva, N., Dumesh, S., Pindar, A. and Rowe, G., 2017. Contribution of DNA barcoding to the study of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Canada: progress to date. The Canadian Entomologist, 149(6), pp.736-754. See facetsjournal.com
	^2 Bee species listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) can be verified through the Government of Canada's Species at Risk Public Registry canada.ca
	^3 Mitchell GW, Kirby P, Duffe J, Fahrig L, Girard J, Johnston MK, Larrivée M, Martin AE, Momeni-Dehaghi I, Pasher J, Rezek E. Additional common milkweed would help Canada meet its share of the trinational eastern migratory monarch butterfly recovery target. Facets. 2025 Apr 23;10:1-4. See Cambridge.org

SOURCE 407 ETR Concession Company Limited

For 407 ETR media inquiries: [email protected], 416-706-1861, 407etr.com/newsroom; For CWF media inquiries: David DeRocco, Director of Communications and Marketing, [email protected], 613-559-9594 x. 279