Ontario Envirothon

The Ontario Envirothon Championships returned to the University of Waterloo from May 24 to 27 and we are proud to announce that a team from University of Toronto Schools was crowned as the 2026 Ontario Envirothon Champions!

From the 12 teams that advanced to the Ontario Envirothon Championships, the three top-ranking teams were:

🥇First Place: University of Toronto Schools
🥈Second Place: Waterloo Collegiate Institute
🥉 Third Place: Milliken Mills High School

Congratulations to the students who challenged themselves throughout the year to grow their environmental awareness and thanks to the many educators and volunteers for their time, dedication, and knowledge.

Ontario Envirothon was made possible through the support of Maple Leaves Forever, Enbridge Gas, the J.P. Bickell Foundation, Waterloo's Faculty of Environment, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc., and the Central Canada Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee.

From Kenora to Ottawa and Thunder Bay to Niagara, that is a wrap on 2026 regional ! From March to May, events took place in 13 communities across Ontario, engaging more than 450 high school students in hands-on, environmental learning. Congratulations to the students who challenged themselves throughout the year to grow their environmental awareness. And thank you to the many educators, volunteers and partners who make regional events and place-based learning possible!

This weekend, the provincial competition will return to the University of Waterloo (May 24-27, 2026). We are looking forward to gathering with the top-performing teams to celebrate their success and determine the 2026 Ontario Envirothon Champions!

We invite you to join us and cheer along all the competing teams, and stay tuned to find out who will take the title.

Rebuilding After the Storm: The Collective Strength Behind Recovery Extreme weather can devastate forests. While natural regeneration w...

Congratulations! We can't wait to kick off the Ontario Envirothon Championship with you later this month at the University of Waterloo!

🏆 Announcing the winners! Congratulations to Milliken Mills High School - Green Inc No. 1 for placing first, Milliken Mills High School - Green Team for placing second and Markville Secondary School for placing third.

Milliken Mills received a commemorative plaque and will move on to compete in the 2026 Competition May 24 to 27 at the University of Waterloo. Well done and good luck!

To learn more, visit york.ca/Envirothon
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Forests Canada

A look at the legacy of 30 years of this unique field-based environmental science learning initiative in Algoma.
This event is free and open to everyone!

This presentation will give the history of Algoma's involvement in this unique field-based environmental science learning initiative and competition - the Forests Canada Envirothon. Having just celebrated our 30th year as a regional participant in Ontario's Envirothon, we'll explain what the program entails, share some of the long lasting impacts of this program on the students who've come through it, and talk about the amazing contributions of community partners and countless volunteers who have enabled this program to exist and thrive, including Climate Hub members.

OUR SPEAKERS
Guy Smith spent 36 years with the Canadian Forest Service of Natural Resources Canada, filling various roles rooted in the exchange of knowledge among organizations, groups, and individuals. Along the way he honed skills in communication and facilitation and thrived on supporting teams. Among his passions is planning and coordinating work that brings diverse perspectives to focus on delivering results to make a difference. In this vein he was a founder of Algoma Envirothon, a program that has touched the lives of some 1,500 students and educators over the past 30 years. He continues to fill the role of Program Chair and recently received the Maple Leaves Forever Ontario Envirothon Award and NCF-Envirothon Hall of Fame Award for his long service.
Ruth Koskenoja is a retired educator, who spent 28 years in high school English classes and student services. Her passion for the outdoors was a good fit for mentoring the Duke of Edinburgh Club at Korah for over a decade and leading student backpacking expeditions on Lake Superior's Coastal Trail. Since retiring, she has been a board member with Algoma Highland Conservancy, where her passion for conservation, the outdoors, and working with youth have dovetailed and resulted in the coordination of the Algoma Envirothon events.

REGISTER HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WJIM_A2ESgqUFzbgqFnS3w

Thank you to the many sponsors, volunteers and educators who make possible!

Maple Leaves Forever, Enbridge Gas, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the J.P. Bickell Foundation, Waterloo's Faculty of Environment, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. and the Central Canada Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee

This spring, more than 500 students from nearly 80 schools across the province are participating in Ontario Envirothon – a unique, environmentally themed academic competition that immerses students in hands-on learning, discovery, and building STEM skills.

It is thanks to the support of our amazing sponsors – Maple Leaves Forever, Enbridge Gas, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the J.P. Bickell Foundation, the Waterloo's Faculty of Environment, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc., and the Central Canada Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee – that these students are gaining hands-on experiences, building knowledge, and developing a deeper connection to the environment.

Read more - https://forestscanada.ca/en/article/ontario-envirothon-helps-students-build-stem-skills

Ontario Envirothon is heading back to the University of Waterloo in May to host the Provincial Competition and crown the next champions. We look forward to welcoming the top preforming regional teams and future environmental leaders to the campus. Fingers crossed, we may also reconnect with program alumni!

A full circle moment for Ontario Envirothon enthusiasts | Waterloo News When Ben Woodward (BES '24) and Ella Williamson joined their respective high school Ontario Envirothon teams it wasn’t part of some master plan to get into environmental sciences, but rather because passionate teachers encouraged them to sign up. Yet, those early steps into fieldwork were transfor...