How Tree Canada’s sponsors are taking steps to restore the planet

Over the past 12 months, all of us have had the opportunity to slow down and appreciate the natural world around us. In these difficult times, many people have sought solace among the trees and forests in our communities.

At Tree Canada, we are delighted to see many of our sponsors doing what they can to support tree planting and sustainable practices across Canada. Here are just a few examples.

Harvey’s

As part of its sustainability initiative, Harvey’s is celebrating by helping to keep Canada a beautiful thing.

In partnership with Tree Canada, the iconic Canadian restaurant chain plans to plant 25,000 trees this year. This amazing goal will help to capture around 5,000 tonnes of CO2! For this year’s partnership, the trees will be planted in Alberta.

From April 22 until June 16, 2021, Harvey’s will donate a portion of proceeds from every transaction at its restaurants to planting trees in Canada.

A portion of proceeds from every Harvey’s order placed on DoorDash – the exclusive delivery partner for Harvey’s for this initiative supporting Tree Canada – will also go towards the fundraising goal until June 16.

Canadians will also have an opportunity to make an additional donation to Tree Canada at the cashier at all Harvey’s restaurants nationwide.

This initiative is just one facet of Harvey’s sustainability commitment. Over 80% of Harvey’s packaging now contains recycled materials, and its Grow A Plant initiative adds planting kits to kid’s meals instead of plastic toys.

“Harvey’s is committed to sustainable initiatives and we are thrilled to team up with Tree Canada to plant a target of 25,000 trees in 2021 in our backyard, helping to keep Canada a beautiful thing for generations to come,” says David Colebrook, President, Harvey’s Canada.

FedEx

Last month, FedEx announced an ambitious goal to achieve carbon–neutral operations globally by 2040. To help reach this goal, the company is designating more than $2 billion of initial investment in vehicle electrification, sustainable energy, and carbon sequestration.

In addition to this investment, FedEx continues to support Tree Canada’s goal to plant more trees across the country. By doing so, the company is promoting solutions that will help achieve its sustainability goals.

“As a company that connects 99% of the world’s GDP, FedEx is taking bold steps to help the only home – and place of business – we’ve got,” said Pina Starnino, vice president of operations for FedEx Express Canada. “We’re committed to working to minimize our environmental impact throughout our business, and working with Tree Canada is an obvious step toward a more sustainable future.”

Since 2007, FedEx has supported the planting of over 65,000 trees by Tree Canada, helping to re-establish urban and rural forests and increase the number of trees in community schoolyards across Canada.

Patrón Tequila

In collaboration with Tree Canada, Patrón Tequila is committed to planting up to 17,850 trees across Canada. Until May 2021, in selected provinces, Patrón will plant one tree for every 750ml bottle of Patrón Silver, Reposado, or Añejo tequila sold.

This generous initiative will help to plant indigenous species of trees in numerous locations across the country, including McLeod Lake Band in British Columbia, Grande Prairie in Alberta, and Westmoreland Parish in New Brunswick.

By planting up to 17,850 trees with Tree Canada, Patrón’s forests could sequester an estimated 3.75kg of CO2e over their lifetime, with each tree effectively acting as a carbon sink that helps to reduce the greenhouse effect.

Patrón, which is part of the Bacardi Canada group, has been active in its sustainability efforts for many years – from recycling the water used in its production process to creating fertilizer from spent agave fibres from its distilleries own and neighbouring distilleries.

Since 2015, the company has reforested or donated 16,000 trees in its local community of Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco.

When announcing its partnership with Tree Canada, the company said: “At Patrón, it’s no secret that we have a steadfast commitment to crafting the world’s finest tequila, but we’re just as dedicated to taking care of the resources and people that make it possible. This is true both in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, and places around the world where our tequila is enjoyed, such as Canada.”

Tree Canada is very grateful to all its sponsors who continue to help us in our efforts to grow better places to live across the country – every day.