Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Collaborate on 2 Billion Trees Program

NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, May 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Planting two billion trees across the country by 2031 will help Canada's efforts to tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, but such an endeavour requires strong partnerships. Trees capture and store carbon from the atmosphere, improve air and water quality, support biodiversity, and the forest sector supports thousands of good jobs.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Scott Pearce, the President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced that FCM's Green Municipal Fund (GMF) will play an important role in Canada's ambitious goal to plant two billion trees and contribute to climate action. This will be achieved through Growing Canada's Community Canopies (GCCC), a new $291-million initiative designed to be implemented in and around communities across the country, both large and small. Working together, Canada and FCM will expand the reach of the 2 Billion Trees program to accelerate planting efforts and contribute to Canada's broader approach to nature-based climate solutions.

GCCC will work to ensure that the right type of tree is planted in the right places so that communities across Canada can grow, manage and protect their tree canopies, which will maximize the environmental and social benefits provided by trees, while also ensuring that these trees survive long-term.

This initiative was developed with smaller, rural, and remote communities in mind and aims to plant at least 1.2 million new trees across the country by the end of March 2031. Local governments can access funding for new ambitious and equitable tree planting projects valued at up to $10 million for tree planting, planning and operations through GCCC.

This funding will also support community-wide planting activities, including planting trees and seedlings in parks, community access and naturalized areas, as well as localized planting including street trees. The deadline to submit a full application for this round of funding is July 12, 2024.

GCCC will contribute to Canada's efforts to mitigate climate change while achieving key biodiversity and conservation goals, as well as improving the health of Canadians. This includes providing shade, cooling temperatures, preventing flooding, improving air quality, boosting mental health, and fostering equitable access to trees across communities.

Quotes

"Trees are essential to our lives, as they clean the air we breathe, make our urban spaces more enjoyable, provide new habitats for wildlife and help us adapt to our changing climate while mitigating its impacts by sequestering carbon emissions. Supported by federal funding announced today, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities will play an important role in bringing these benefits to Canadians and in helping to achieve our ambitious goal of planting two billion trees over the next decade. Through this initiative, we are showing how collaborative work between the federal government and communities across the country, both large and small, can ensure that the right tree is planted at the right place at the right time for the benefit of all Canadians."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

"Restoring nature is one of the best strategies we have to fight climate change, while improving air and water quality at the same time. It's also one of the best ways to build healthy, thriving, livable cities. Urban forests clean the air that we breathe, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity and help cool our urban centres. The trees we plant today will improve our quality of life, health and well-being for generations to come."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Trees stand as a powerful ally in our efforts to combat climate change and enhance the well-being of Canadians. GMF's Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative ensures we plant the right trees in the right places. This not only helps prevent flooding and supports wildlife but also enriches our urban areas. Our commitment to green spaces further bolsters our pledge to a sustainable future, ensuring our communities prosper alongside nature."

Scott Pearce
FCM President

"Trees and resilient ecosystems are essential to the well-being of all communities, large and small, and to our collective efforts in addressing the impacts of a changing climate and declining biodiversity. As a GCCC partner, Tree Canada looks forward to sharing our long-standing expertise in urban forestry with municipalities to maximize the long-term environmental and social benefits of their tree planting and greening efforts."

Nicole Hurtubise
CEO, Tree Canada

Quick Facts

• GCCC is funded through the Government of Canada's 2 Billion Trees program and is a further expansion of GMF's mandate to focus on nature-based climate solutions.
• Additional calls for applications for tree planting funding are expected to be announced for the Fall and Winter seasons.
• GMF has partnered with Tree Canada, a non-profit organization renowned for its urban forestry expertise, to ensure that local governments have access to tailored support services and knowledge that will enhance tree planting projects. This support includes guiding how to improve tree species and site selection with careful consideration for biodiversity and climate, ensuring the success and longevity of this initiative.
• The FCM's Green Municipal Fund 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. It is funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Since inception in 2000, it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.87 million tonnes, funded nearly 13,000 person-years of employment, enabled nearly 30,000 sustainable affordable housing units, and contributed $1.2 billion to the national GDP via the more than 2,100 approved projects.

Associated links

Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Green Municipal Fund
Growing Canada's Community Canopies
2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
2 Billion Trees Commitment
Tree planting funding
Urban Forest Coaching

SOURCE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES

Contacts: Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Carolyn Svonkin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, 343-597-1725, [email protected]; FCM Media Relations, 613-907-6395, [email protected]