MILTON, ON, May 30, 2026 /CNW/ - Including nature in urban environments helps to make them more beautiful, healthy and sustainable. Livable communities include a mix of engineered infrastructure and natural spaces that work together to increase climate resilience, preserve biodiversity and promote access to nature.
Today, Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State for Sport and Member of Parliament for Burlington North–Milton West, Kristina Tesser Derksen, Member of Parliament for Milton East--Halton Hills South, and Asif Siddiqui, Director of Muslim Families Development Corporation (Muslim Families), announced a joint investment of nearly $340,000 towards permaculture landscaping in Milton.
Focusing on underused, publicly accessible spaces, the landscaping project will allow local youth to study and assess environmentally conscious and sustainable improvements. Through the Blue Dot Stewards programme, a youth mentorship and environmental leadership initiative, young people will advance designs based on permaculture principles, planting native species that produce food or traditional medicines.
The project will help to increase knowledge of the natural environment and give participating youth more opportunities to lead and work together. Work will be undertaken near Sherwood Park at the Indian Creek Trail Head, and the Milton Community Park, enhancing approximately 56,000 square-metres of public park space.
Permaculture is a design system that covers a wide variety of activities and perspectives. It is mostly focused on developing permanent agriculture that requires little human intervention to sustain, such as in food forests that can yield valuable seeds, fruits or vegetables. Landscaping enhancements, like the ones being undertaken through this investment, help to build more robust ecosystems, address food insecurity, and support greater resilience to climate change.
Muslim Families is a community organization focused on youth development, social well-being, and civic engagement, particularly supporting diverse immigrant, and at-risk populations through meaningful, values-driven programming since 2018.
Quotes
"Halton has no shortage of community leaders, and thanks to programs like the Blue Dot Stewards, more local youths can find their talents while making their community more beautiful and sustainable. We will advance this work by demonstrating the power young people have to create better communities."
Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State for Sport and Member of Parliament for Burlington North--Milton West, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
"Our youth here in Halton are at the forefront of positive transformation in our community. The Government of Canada supports this work because it engages youth leaders in fostering climate resilience, beautifying our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians by bringing nature closer to home."
Kristina Tesser Derksen, Member of Parliament for Milton East--Halton Hills South
"This investment by the Government of Canada means real action on the ground -- transforming unmanaged spaces that usually end up in neglect, into thriving community ecosystems with positive environmental impacts, while giving young people the opportunity to lead that change themselves. Seeing youth connected to the real world and get out there, work alongside community, municipal, and academic partners at this level and scale, and build something lasting for both people and the environment, with the support of the federal government, has been incredibly inspiring. It's truly transformative!"
Asif Siddiqui, Director of the Muslim Families Development Corporation
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $230,766 in the Blue Dot Stewards forest garden program through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF), and the Muslim Families Development Corporation is contributing $107,612.
- NIF supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, mitigate carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and promote Canadians' access to nature.
- Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living dikes, bioswales, and naturalized coastal restoration.
- Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of both engineered and natural infrastructure. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized stormwater ponds.
- A minimum of 10% of the overall program envelope has been allocated to Indigenous-led projects.
- The Government of Canada is taking concrete actions to strengthen the economy by investing in Canadians and supporting Canadian businesses.
- Federal actions are creating good jobs, accelerating home building and helping communities grow across the country.
- Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and environmental assessment obligations.
Associated Links
Natural Infrastructure Fund
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/nif-fin/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Housing and Infrastructure Project Map
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html
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Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Mohammad Hussain, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Asif Siddiqui, Director, Blue Dot Stewards, Muslim Families Development Corporation, 647-952-5393, [email protected]
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