Pollinator Habitat Funding
407 ETR and CWF Expand Partnership, Invest $2 Million for GTA Pollinator Habitats
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Highway 407 ETR is committing $2 million to expand its pollinator habitat partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), the companies announced during National Pollinator Week. The goal: restore 50 hectares of native meadow along and beyond the 407 corridor — roughly 123 acres stretching from Burlington to Bowmanville — by 2030, according to 407 ETR Newsroom.
To mark the occasion, 407 ETR held a native plant giveaway, distributing an estimated 5,000 plants to GTA residents. The move builds on a pilot program that already restored 15 hectares across 15 projects between 2023 and 2025, Sault Star reported.
A Three-Year Pilot Paves the Way for More
The partnership between 407 ETR and CWF launched in June 2023 as a test. Could highway margins — the strips of land alongside the road — become functional wildlife habitat? The answer, after two years, was yes. The pilot ran 15 restoration projects from Burlington to Bowmanville, covering 15 hectares of previously mowed, ecologically barren land, according to 407 ETR Newsroom.
The next phase runs from 2026 to 2030. It adds 26 more projects and 35 more hectares, bringing the total restored area to 50 hectares. That is the equivalent of about 70 soccer fields of native meadow planted along one of Ontario's busiest highways, Whitecourt Star reported.
Monarch Butterflies Are at the Heart of This Project
Monarch butterfly populations have fallen by nearly 90% over the last two decades. The 407 corridor runs east to west — the same direction monarchs travel during migration. By planting native milkweed and wildflowers, the project turns the highway margin into a "stepping stone" for butterflies moving across the GTA, according to Seaforth Huron Expositor.
CWF CEO Rick Bates said the scale matters. "Restoring 50 hectares of native meadow is a significant milestone," he said. "These corridors are essential for the survival of the Monarch butterfly and other pollinators that underpin our food systems and natural ecosystems." The CWF estimates the restored land could support hundreds of thousands of individual pollinators each year.
Native Meadows Cost Less to Maintain Than Grass
Replacing mowed turf with native meadow is not just good for wildlife — it saves money. Standard roadside grass needs mowing multiple times per season. Native meadow grasses only need cutting once every two to three years. That long-term cost reduction could help offset the $2 million investment over the next decade, according to Daily Herald Tribune.
407 ETR President and CEO Javier Tamargo framed the project in broader terms. "Our commitment to the environment is as vital as our commitment to the commuters we serve," he said. "By expanding our partnership with CWF, we are ensuring that the 407 ETR corridor serves as a bridge, not a barrier, for Ontario's biodiversity."
Communities Get Involved Through Plant Giveaways and Citizen Science
407 ETR is not limiting conservation to the highway margins. The native plant giveaway — held June 23 to 25 at community hubs along the corridor — brought the project directly to homeowners. Each plant handed out is meant to act as a small habitat patch, connecting private gardens to the larger restored corridor, according to Pembroke Observer.
Some critics on social media questioned whether the $2 million spend was a PR move designed to distract from the highway's toll pricing. Environmental advocates have also noted that 50 hectares is modest compared to the environmental footprint of the hundreds of thousands of vehicles that use the 407 daily. Still, conservation scientists praised the use of true native species — not generic wildflower mixes — as a sign the project has real scientific backing, Sault Star reported.
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