2016 Loblaw Water Fund now accepting applications

WWF is now accepting applications for the 2016 Loblaw Water Fund. Our goal at WWF is to see all freshwater in good health by 2025, and the fund will give Canadians the opportunity to help us reach this ambitious goal. The fund will support those who are working to improve the health of freshwater through direct, on-the-ground initiatives. For the 2016 grant cycle, a total of $225,000 is available to distribute between selected projects across the country.

Fishermen fishing for salmon in the Humber river, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Humber River, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. © WWF-Canada / Noah Cole

Now in its third year, the Loblaw Water Fund will support projects that relate to the health and threat indicators included in our Watershed Reports.
This year, the fund aims to support activities that:

  • improves any of the four indicators –  water quality, water flow, benthic invertebrates, and fish – of ecosystem health from Watershed Reports;
  • reduces one of the seven threats – invasive species, pollution, habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, climate change, overuse of water, and alteration of flows – to ecosystem health;
  • collects vital data needed to complete more reports on the health of our nation’s watersheds.

The fund also encourages community members to become involved in stewarding their local waters.
Recently, WWF-Canada had the privilege of visiting two of our current Loblaw Water Fund grantees, and was inspired by the many people who came out to take part in the activities, and learn about the health of their local water body.
In Toronto, WWF visited Evergreen Brickworks and participated in their Uncover Your Creeks” project, where a group of keen volunteers learned how to identify benthic macroinvertebrates (a.k.a bugs) found in Mud Creek. The presence of certain pollution intolerant species, such as stoneflies and caddisflies, indicated that the water is in fairly good condition.

1)Volunteers for Evergreen’s Uncover Your Creeks program learn about the invertebrate bug species living at the bottom of their local creek ©Emily Giles / WWF-Canada
Volunteers for Evergreen’s Uncover Your Creeks program learn about the invertebrate bug species living at the bottom of their local creek © Emily Giles / WWF-Canada

WWF also joined EcoSpark at Crescent School in Toronto, as we took samples to evaluate water quality and collected benthic invertebrates as part of the “Changing Currents” program. Their watershed was also found to be in fairly good shape, as we found a good diversity of species in the river, including caddisflies.
2)Grade 8 students from Crescent School in Toronto have a great day outside learning about water quality and benthic invertebrates with Ecospark © Emily Giles / WWF-Canada
Grade 8 students from Crescent School in Toronto have a great day outside learning about water quality and benthic invertebrates with Ecospark © Emily Giles / WWF-Canada

In the coming weeks, check back on the WWF blog as we’ll share updates from our 2015 Loblaw Water Fund grantees who are now midway through their projects.
If you’re a registered charity or not-for-profit, you can find this year’s applications and guidelines for funding at wwf.ca/waterfund, closing December 14, 2015. 
If you have questions about the fund, contact us at: [email protected].