Protecting the environment

For our children and generations to come

Ontario is blessed with an abundance of lakes and rivers, forests and fields, and flora and fauna of all shapes and sizes. For centuries, this natural heritage has been passed down from one generation to the next. With operations that span the whole province, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has a big role to play in protecting the natural beauty of our province and preserving it for future generations. It is a job we are proud to do.

Across our sites, we work with Indigenous and community partners on a number of environmental programs, from habitat restoration to planting native trees. Since 2000, we have planted more than 8.7 million trees, and we continue to help create hundreds of acres of new grasslands and wetlands.

Protecting biodiversity

The foundation of a healthy ecosystem.

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8.7 million

That's how many native trees and shrubs OPG has helped to plant over the years. With each new tree planted, we are creating habitats and fighting climate change.

Stewards of our natural heritage

Through a variety of programs and partnerships, OPG is heavily invested in protecting and restoring natural environments across Ontario. In the face of a changing climate and collapsing biodiversity around the world, OPG is showing that the energy industry can be part of the solution. We are proud to have had a positive impact on Ontario's environment. 

Starting about 12,000 years ago and up until 1896, the Atlantic salmon was a cold-water fish native to Lake Ontario. But due to human activities, the fish all but disappeared from Lake Ontario and its tributaries . . . until recently. With the help of partners like OPG, Atlantic salmon are making a comeback.

Launched in 2006, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters' (OFAH) Bring Back the Salmon program seeks to restore a self-sustaining Atlantic salmon population to Lake Ontario and its streams. As lead sponsor of the program since 2011, OPG has helped stock more than seven million Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario and four target tributaries (Credit River, Duffins Creek, Cobourg Creek, and Ganaraska River).

Learn more about Bring Back the Salmon

Since 1993, the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) has become Canada's busiest wildlife centre, rescuing and rehabilitating thousands of sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals. Its wildlife hotline receives approximately 30,000 calls per year from members of the public and animal organizations, mostly from the Greater Toronto Area and Durham Region.

From education and outreach, to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, TWC is at the frontline of biodiversity protection. This includes caring for thousands of animals every year, including species at risk.

OPG's ongoing support has been important in furthering outreach and education efforts with the public.

Learn more about the Toronto Wildlife Centre

Nine of OPG's generating sites have achieved Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) certification and seven of our sites have been certified "Gold" within this biodiversity conservation certification program.

The WHC certifies conservation programs on corporate lands around the world and promotes environmental management through various partnerships and education. OPG's nine WHC-certified sites have gone above and beyond to both protect and enhance wildlife habitats on their properties, demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship and the conservation of native biodiversity. For example, our Darlington site features a variety of protected habitats including diverse woodland, grassland, and wetland habitats, now home to species at risk, like the bobolink and meadowlark. 

OPG continues to demonstrate excellence in biodiversity conservation through science-based land stewardship and community partnerships.

Learn more about the Wildlife Habitat Council

In 2022, OPG partnered with Nature Conservancy of Canada to support work in the Rice Lake Plains to restore 3.6 square kilometres of tallgrass prairie. This work included conducting grassland planting, public engagement, and invasive species control.

Learn more about the Nature Conservancy of Canada

OPG and Heartland have been partners since 2016. Heartland's mission is to ignite curiosity and respect for our natural world through accessible, interactive, and educational programs. In 2022, OPG worked with Heartland to plant a wet meadow Indigenous garden and restore the nature centre's backyard bog garden while also developing their citizen science curriculum to help restore pond and garden habitat.

Learn more about Heartland Forest Nature Experience

With the help of OPG, Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) is working to increase the forest cover in Essex to 12%, helping expand natural corridors in a highly fragmented landscape while providing diverse habitat for the many species at risk needing space to thrive in the area.

Learn more about the Essex Region Conservation Authority

Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) is a not-for-profit dedicated to protecting and improving the urban forest in the Greater Toronto Area. OPG has partnered with LEAF to promote the importance of urban forests and backyard tree planting while engaging citizens in urban forest stewardship through community plantings, education, and training. 

Learn more about LEAF

Aerial view of a country highway by a lake and through a forest on a misty morning

Climate: nothing matters more

The single-biggest way OPG can help the environment is through our Climate Change Plan, which outlines our actions for a carbon emissions-free future.

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