NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, May 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Trees capture and store carbon from the atmosphere, improve air and water quality, make our urban spaces shadier, cooler and more enjoyable, and can provide new habitat for wildlife. To bring these benefits to Canadians, and to support good jobs for workers, the federal government is working with partners to plant two billion trees (2BT) over the next 10 years. As of May 2024, the Government of Canada has funded more than half a billion trees, a major milestone in its overall goal. 

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Scott Pearce, the President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced a new FCM initiative to accelerate and expand the reach of tree planting in communities across Canada. The Growing Canada's Community Canopies (GCCC) will support the planting of at least 1.2 million new trees in approximately 300 communities by 2031, generating more than 2,000 jobs every year in municipalities across Canada. They were joined by City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan. At the announcement, the Minister and Mayor also highlighted that of the over 550 million trees planted through the 2BT program so far, more than 3,000 have been planted in North Vancouver through existing partnerships — five times the number originally anticipated for the municipality.

Through the GCCC, the FCM's Green Municipal Fund will run the program, directly supporting communities across the country to help them grow, manage and protect their tree canopies, while ensuring the right type of trees are planted in the right places so that they can thrive long-term. This initiative will support a variety of tree planting activities, including forest restoration and reforestation, which can rehabilitate areas that have experienced die-offs caused by pests or wildfires. The GCCC is funded directly through the 2BT program, with matching funding from the FCM's Green Municipal Fund. 

With over 80 percent of Canadians now living in urban areas, partnerships such as the GCCC underscore the importance of providing communities with nature-based climate solutions — or tools to mitigate and adapt to climate change and provide benefits for biodiversity, such as planting native trees. By working with local governments to assess and improve their communities' canopies, this project will provide physical and mental health benefits to many Canadians. Moreover, this project seeks to increase urban forest resilience and ecosystem services through species diversity resulting in cleaner air and better stormwater management, so that municipalities are better adapted to climate change. 

Planting two billion trees requires careful planning and cultivation of seedlings in nurseries, collaboration with different levels of government, non-government organizations and Indigenous groups, and a thoughtful approach to each stage of the supply chain from seed to seedling to planting. The Government of Canada will continue to work with partners to deliver the 2BT program for the benefit of all Canadians. 

"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 

"We know our climate is changing, that weather is becoming extreme, and that we must take real action. That is why the City has prioritized protecting and growing our urban tree canopy. Trees are living assets that play a critical role in a healthy and sustainable city as they protect from heat, prevent flooding, clean our air and support well-being. We are grateful for the funding we have received through the 2 Billion Trees program as it has allowed us to plant 2,380 trees across the community. The Growing Canada's Community Canopies program is an incredible opportunity for more municipalities to benefit from enhanced green spaces." 
Linda Buchanan
City of North Vancouver Mayor

• The Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative will play an important role in Canada's efforts to plant two billion trees over 10 years. It is supported by funding through the Government of Canada's 2 Billion Trees program and run by the FCM's Green Municipal Fund as a further expansion of its mandate to focus on nature-based climate solutions.
• This initiative was developed with smaller, rural and remote communities in mind and will ensure 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 the GCCC.
• This funding will also support community-wide planting activities, including planting trees and seedlings in parks, community access areas and naturalized areas, as well as localized planting, including street trees. Applications for the first round of funding are now being accepted and the deadline to submit a full application for this round of funding is July 12, 2024.
• In 2022, the Government of Canada provided $300,000 in 2BT funding to the City of North Vancouver to support a two-year Capacity Building Grant Project to develop and implement an Urban Forest Management Strategy and plant 500 native trees, among other activities. In total, the project planted 2,380 urban trees over two years — nearly five times the trees intended. The trees were planted in Hyak Park, Greenwood Park and Mosquito Park.
• Since the launch of the 2 Billion Trees program, the federal government has committed to supporting 56 urban projects to plant approximately 4.6 million trees in municipalities over 10 years, through the program's Urban/Suburban funding stream.
• FCM has partnered with Tree Canada, a non-profit organization founded in 1992 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.

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 Natural Resources Canada