MP Bains Announces Over 21 Million New Trees in Partnership with Tree Canada

November 22, 2022 (New Westminster, B.C.) – Canada is dedicated to helping restore and expand Canada’s forests from coast to coast. Trees are essential to our lives; they capture carbon, improve air quality and support wildlife — they are allies in our fight against climate change. That is why the Government of Canada is planting 2 billion trees.

Parm Bains, Member of Parliament for Steveston—Richmond East, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and alongside Nicole Hurtubise, Chief Executive Officer, Tree Canada, announced a federal contribution of over $41 million to Tree Canada’s National Greening program through the 2 Billion Trees program. The 2 Billion Trees program is dedicated to supporting new tree planting projects using nature-based solutions to fight climate change and permanently increase forest cover in Canada.

Tree Canada aims to accelerate mass seedling planting through afforestation and reforestation efforts with its National Greening program. The organization will plant over 21 million trees in the span of nine years, working with landholders, municipalities and partners to identify priority tree-planting projects to meet their environmental and social goals.

Tree Canada is the only national non-profit organization that is dedicated to planting trees in both rural and urban communities in every province across Canada. Tree Canada also aims to help reduce emissions in our atmosphere moving us further toward our goal of achieving a sustainable and prosperous net-zero economy by 2050.

This initiative will help generate sustainable jobs across the country, including in Indigenous communities. The efforts to tackle climate change and protect our biodiversity in Canada wouldn’t be possible without the significant collaboration of organizations working to revitalize and care for our environment.

This is just one of the measures the Government of Canada is taking to protect nature as it invites some 196 countries to Montréal for the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, December 7–19, 2022. COP15 presents an opportunity for Canada to show its leadership in taking actions to conserve and restore nature and halt biodiversity loss around the world.

Quotes

“Today’s announcement in New Westminster represents a major step toward our goal of planting two billion trees to deliver cleaner air, enhanced biodiversity and climate action across Canada. Tree Canada’s efforts to plant over 21 million trees will support communities across the country while creating sustainable jobs. Congratulations to all those involved.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources

“The Government of Canada is supporting Canadians in planting two billion trees from coast to coast to coast. Today in New Westminster, I joined Trees Canada to announce $41 million in federal support to plant over 21 million trees. This initiative will help to support biodiversity and clean air, which is why we are pleased to be supporting this vital work.”

Parm Bains
Member of Parliament for Steveston–Richmond East

“Thanks to the federal government’s contribution, Tree Canada has already planted over one million trees in 2022 — more than ever before in our history. Building on this early success, we look forward to working with local partners, municipalities, sponsors and donors to plant and monitor over 21 million trees across Canada, maximizing their survival and long-term benefits in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.”

Nicole Hurtubise
Chief Executive Officer, Tree Canada

For more information, please contact:

Robert Henri
Director, Communications and Marketing
Tree Canada
rhenri@treecanada.ca
613-567-5545 ext. 230