MEDIA RELEASE
Middlesex Centre, Ontario, September 1, 2026 – The Municipality of Middlesex Centre is pleased to announce that it is receiving $59,600 in funding from the Ontario Community Environment Fund for the Enhancing Medway Creek Through Community Tree Planting project. The funding is part of the Ontario government’s investment of nearly $3 million in 26 community-led projects to protect Ontario’s air, land and water.
Through a partnership between Middlesex Centre, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) and the Friends of Medway Creek, the project will restore riparian areas along Medway Creek by planting native trees and engaging the community in stewardship activities.
“Our government is proud to support Middlesex Centre and its partners in their efforts to restore habitat along Medway Creek and strengthen the health of the Thames River watershed,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Through the Ontario Community Environment Fund, we are reinvesting money collected from environmental penalties to help preserve this important natural area for future generations.”
Over the course of the project, partners will plan and deliver at least eight community tree-planting events, plant a minimum of 1,800 native trees, and engage students, volunteers and community members in environmental stewardship activities. The project will help increase native tree cover, stabilize streambanks, improve water quality and strengthen habitat connections throughout the Thames River watershed.
“Protecting and enhancing our natural environment is an investment in the future of our community,” said Mayor Aina DeViet. “This funding will create meaningful, hands-on opportunities for students and volunteers to contribute to the health of Medway Creek while helping to build a greener and more resilient Middlesex Centre. We thank the Government of Ontario and our partners at the UTRCA for making this important project possible.”
“Healthy waterways start with healthy landscapes,” said April Scholz, Community Partnership Specialist, UTRCA. “By planting native trees and engaging students and volunteers in stewardship activities, this project will improve water quality, strengthen wildlife habitat and contribute to the health of the Thames River watershed.”
Tree planting activities will begin in fall 2026, providing opportunities for residents, students and community groups to take part in local environmental restoration efforts.
Information about volunteer tree planting events will be shared by Middlesex Centre and UTRCA as details become available.
Learn more:
- Ontario Community Environment Fund (2026 Funding Announcement)
- Municipality of Middlesex Centre
- Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA)
- - -
Photos:
Medway Creek (courtesy of UTRCA)
- - -
Media Contacts:
Heather Kepran, Manager of Strategic Communications, Municipality of Middlesex Centre,
T: 519-666-0190 ext. 5259, E: kepran@middlesexcentre.ca
April Scholz, Community Partnerships Specialist, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority,
T: 519-451-2800 ext. 227, E: scholza@thamesriver.ca