Every fall, monarch butterflies travel up to 3,000 kilometres between breeding grounds in eastern North America and overwintering sites in central Mexico.

Some monarchs can travel an astonishing 80 kilometres in a single day.

Butterflies play an important role in pollinating plants and crops across the globe. Due to urbanization, though, pollinator habitats are on the decline, resulting in a shrinking population.

In 2017, Metrolinx was approached to support The Butterfly Way Project. It looks to reverse these trends by providing food and shelter for butterflies by establishing wildflower patches throughout local neighborhoods across Canada.

Metrolinx looks to incorporate sustainability into design plans and find ways to support local initiatives in the communities it operates in.

As a result, 1,500 milkweed and other native wildflowers were planted at the Hamilton Bus Maintenance Facility. These gardens will help create habitat for butterflies.

“It’s about looking at the work we’re doing a little differently,” said Kathryn Morrison, Metrolinx Sustainability Coordinator.

“As we continue to expand our services, we’re looking to do so in a way that minimizes, as much as possible, the impact on our environment.”

One of Metrolinx’s goals is to consider the impact  infrastructure and services have on ecosystems and make the best efforts to manage, preserve, or protect them.