Government of Canada and FCM invest $67.8 million in urban forestry projects through the Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative

TOWN OF INGERSOLL, ON, Sept. 3, 2026 /CNW/ -- Trees are an effective tool for helping communities fight climate change while improving air quality, conserving energy and enhancing local ecosystems. For municipalities across Canada, planting the right trees in the right places strengthens local climate resilience, increasing quality of life where people live and work.

Today, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) announced an investment of $67,801,063 to support new urban forestry projects across Canada.

Through a $64,166,393 investment, approximately 473,000 new trees will be planted as part of 165 tree-planting projects. In addition, $3,634,670 will fund 31 plans and studies focused on the sustainable expansion and resilience of community forests and trees, including urban forest management plans.

Projects are located across British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. New tree planting will help reduce flood risks by absorbing and slowing rainfall, protect buildings by acting as windbreaks, and create employment opportunities. Urban forestry plans and studies funding will increase the capacity of local governments to strategically manage canopies while enhancing community and forest resilience, ecological health and social equity.

Notable projects include:

• The Town of Ingersoll, in partnership with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, will plant 4,315 native trees and shrubs across six park locations, covering more than 2.9 hectares of land. The Ingersoll Park Naturalization and Riparian Enhancement Project will expand tree canopy in underused park areas, increasing biodiversity and creating valuable wildlife habitat. Trees planted along local creeks will provide shade, enhance riparian ecosystems, and help reduce erosion. By converting sections of managed lawn into naturalized areas, the project will support carbon sequestration, improve air quality, and reduce maintenance requirements.
• ReForest Woolwich, in partnership with the Township of Woolwich, ON, will plant 22,660 trees across private and public lands. The project contributes to a long-term initiative to double tree canopy within the Township of Woolwich by 2070, contributing to reduced urban heat effects, increased biodiversity, and enhanced community sustainability and ecological stewardship.
• The City of Thunder Bay will plant 33,550 trees as part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen urban and natural forest ecosystems. This initiative focuses on addressing critical canopy gaps and degraded habitats through targeted planting across city parkettes, waterfront lands, wetland areas, and urban infrastructure. Planting will be focused in low-canopy areas, particularly those impacted by emerald ash borer, using native, disease-resistant species adapted to the region's growing conditions. The project is expected to deliver broad environmental, community and economic benefits, including improved air and water quality, enhanced biodiversity and climate resilience, stormwater management, urban beautification, and increased use and enjoyment of the Thunder Bay's urban and greenspaces.
• Project Forest, in partnership with the City of Wetaskiwin, AB, will plant 8,660 trees on a former construction landfill as part of its rewilding initiative. Guided by the Louis Bull Tribe, the new forest will serve as a living testament to rewilding and Reconciliation. The site is being transformed into a place where residents of both Maskwacis and Wetaskiwin can connect with nature and with one another.
• The City of Vancouver, B.C., will plant 16,198 trees in Vanier Park Forest and Jericho Beach Park. Both sites were selected because work is needed to improve their ecological health by planting trees that more closely reflect native forest ecosystems.
• The Sky Trails Association and the Rural Municipality of Loreburn No. 254 will plant 2,000 seedlings along Lake Diefenbaker to help restore landscapes previously cleared for large‑scale agriculture. The project includes essential infrastructure such as wildlife‑protection fencing and irrigation to support seedling survival on a seven‑acre site, enable future planting, reduce shoreline erosion, and increase carbon capture.
• In Quebec, Soverdi is working with the City of Longueuil to increase urban canopy cover to 30 per cent by 2040, reduce heat islands through greening and demineralization, and strengthen ecological connectivity across the city. To achieve this target, Longueuil plans to plant 125,000 trees and shrubs between 2025 and 2040, including 50,000 on municipal land. This will increase the city's canopy cover by seven percentage points.
• The City of Selkirk, MB, will develop an Urban Forest Strategy that will guide sustainable urban forest management. The strategy will increase tree canopy in low cover areas, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience while preparing for threats such as Dutch elm disease and Emerald Ash Borer. As the city expands, the strategy will support equitable access to trees and green infrastructure.
• The Stewardship Association of Municipalities Inc., in partnership with the Town of Stephenville Crossing and the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Wildlife Division, will develop an Urban Tree Inventory and Community Engagement Plan. They will use field surveys and GIS analysis to identify priority tree planting locations. Drawing on this inventory, a tailored community engagement plan will be created.

Funding for these projects is provided by the Government of Canada and delivered through FCM's Growing Canada's Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative. Announced in May 2024, GCCC will support the planting of at least 1.2 million new trees across Canada by the end of March 2031 while offering funding, resources and coaching to communities. In addition to today's announcement, $16,886,020 in funding has been invested through GCCC, delivering 77,519 new trees.

For more information about the funded projects, please see the backgrounder.

Quotes

 "FCM is proud to work alongside the Government of Canada to help local governments plant the right trees in the right places. This $67.8 million investment will bring hundreds of thousands of new trees to Canadian communities, for the benefit of residents today and for generations to come. We congratulate all funding recipients and look forward to seeing the lasting impact of these projects nationwide."

-- Tim Tierney, FCM President

 "Trees are among the most practical and cost-effective tools municipalities have to build healthier, more climate-resilient communities. Through Growing Canada's Community Canopies, FCM and the Government of Canada are helping communities reduce flood and heat risks, improve air quality and biodiversity, and strengthen local capacity to plan and manage their urban forests for the long term. Just as importantly, this program is helping communities of all sizes build greener, more equitable neighbourhoods for generations to come."

 -- Carole Saab, FCM CEO

"Urban forests are essential to building healthier, more beautiful and more livable communities. They improve air quality, support wildlife, strengthen climate resilience and create welcoming spaces that bring people together and connect us with nature. Today's investment will help communities across Canada grow and protect their tree canopies, while creating greener, more resilient spaces where people can live, work and thrive."

-- Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for London Centre

"Trees are one of the most effective and practical tools we have to build stronger, healthier and more resilient communities. Through these investments, communities across Canada are expanding their urban forests, improving air quality, reducing climate risks and creating greener neighbourhoods for generations to come. Our government is proud to support local partners who are taking meaningful action to strengthen both the environment and quality of life for Canadians."

-- The Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature)

"This incredible investment shows what happens when we work as a team. I want to extend my deepest thanks to FCM, the federal government, and our dedicated teams at both the Town and the UTRCA for their seamless collaboration. Rooted in partnership, this project will bring over 4,000 trees to Ingersoll. It will further our shared priorities and is truly a win-win that enhances our neighborhoods today, strengthens the resilience of our watershed, and ensures future generations inherit a healthier, greener community."

-- Brian Petrie, Ingersoll Mayor and UTRCA Chair

About FCM's Green Municipal Fund

FCM's Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a globally unique organization providing funding and education to municipalities to help them both reach net-zero and build resilient communities, while also delivering economic and social benefits such as jobs, housing and infrastructure. Since inception in 2000, it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.02 million tonnes, funded nearly 60,000 person-years of employment, and contributed $5.6 billion to the national GDP via the more than 2,850 approved projects. GMF manages approximately $2.4 billion in programs funded by the Government of Canada.

Quick facts

• GMF's Growing Canada's Community Canopies (GCCC) is a $291M initiative, funded through the Government of Canada and ending in 2031, that supports planting new trees across the country. GCCC funds planting the right type of trees in the right places so that communities across Canada can grow, manage and protect their tree canopies. The initiative is designed with smaller, rural, and remote communities in mind to encourage local climate action while enhancing tree survivability rates, fostering equitable access to trees across communities.
• To see the impact from previously funded projects: Watch this video to learn how this funding supported the City of Kitchener increase its tree canopy for its residents to addressing heat island effects and improve air quality. Watch this video to discover how the City of Cornwall is cooling vulnerable neighbourhoods through tree planting.
• Trees offer vital ecosystem services to communities as they provide carbon sequestration, stormwater management, cooling and air filtration. For example, the annual value of ecosystem services by the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario is estimated at $331 million.
• Trees improve public health by reducing stress and air pollution. For example, PaRX is a nature prescription program that emphasizes nature as a tool for improving mental and physical health.
• Through a partnership with Tree Canada, urban forestry experts provide personalized support during the application and implementation phases of projects. The guidance helps ensure high tree survivability rates and maximize the environmental and social impacts of planting projects.
• GCCC produces knowledge and training resources designed to enhance urban forestry expertise in Canadian communities. Resources cover topics from selecting the right species and planting site to putting equity at the centre of tree planting projects.

Associated links

• Federation of Canadian Municipalities
• Green Municipal Fund
• Growing Canada's Community Canopies
• GCCC Tree planting funding
• Government of Canada's 2 Billion Trees Program  
• Government of Canada 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan
• Tree Canada 

SOURCE Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

FCM Media Relations: 613-907-6395, [email protected]