Minister Boissonnault and Mayor Sohi Announce Joint Investment to Plant 1.5 Million Trees in Edmonton, Expanding the Urban Canopy and Contributing to Canada's 2 Billion Trees Program

EDMONTON, AB, July 24, 2023 /CNW/ - A nature-based climate solution, forests and trees contribute to biodiversity, protect and conserve water resources, and lower emissions by capturing and storing excess carbon. In doing so, they clean the air we breathe and help cool urban centres. That is why the Government of Canada is committed to planting two billion trees over 10 years.

Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi announced $47.8-million in federal funding from the Government of Canada's 2 Billion Trees program. This funding will support the planting of 1.5 million trees in Edmonton and is matched by $47.8 million in municipal funding. The municipal investment is part of the City of Edmonton's $66-million new Greener As We Grow tree-planting project.

Over the next eight years, Edmonton will increase its urban forest canopy by planting approximately 300 hectares in naturalized areas, boulevards, parks and open spaces. The city has a target of having two million trees planted by 2031 as part of its Urban Forest Asset Management goal of achieving 20-percent canopy cover by 2071.

The City of Edmonton will also work with Indigenous leaders, Elders and Knowledge Keepers to ensure the planting of local species is both reflective and supportive of the traditions and cultural practices of local Indigenous peoples and those with historic and cultural connections to the territory.

The 2 Billion Trees program will not only help clean the air and keep neighbourhoods cool in the summer but also create jobs and fight climate change while protecting nature, habitats and biodiversity. By working together with provinces, territories, local communities and Indigenous Peoples, we are building a prosperous, sustainable, and healthy future — for the environment and future generations.

Quotes

"Trees are essential to our lives — they capture carbon, improve air quality and support wildlife — and they are important allies in our fight against climate change. That's why Canada has committed to planting two billion trees. Through this investment to plant over 1.5 million trees across Edmonton, we are showing how collaborative work between the federal government and our municipal partners can ensure that the right tree is planted at the right place at the right time."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources 

"From providing shade to help keep our city cool, to purifying the air and creating healthy outdoor living spaces, this investment to plant over 1.5 million trees across Edmonton will help create a greener and more sustainable future for generations. This collaborative effort between the City of Edmonton and the Government of Canada demonstrates the power of community and environmental stewardship."

The Honourable Randy Boissonnault
Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

"Trees are an important part of how people experience life in Edmonton. Trees help clean our air, shade our streets and shape some of our most beloved public spaces. Expanding Edmonton's tree canopy is a way to help us maintain welcoming and livable communities as we grow to be a city of over two million people. This grant will allow us to expand our planting efforts over the next eight years and bring us closer to our goals of being a healthy and climate-resilient city."

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi
City of Edmonton

Quick Facts 

• Canada and the City of Edmonton also each provided $166,200 under the 2 Billion Trees program to implement community stewardship programming, including the planting of 90 trees to increase community awareness and protection of urban forests.

Related Information

• 2 Billion Trees program
• Our action: How we will get there together
• Planting the right tree in the right place for a better tomorrow
• 2 Billion Trees working with provinces and territories
• 2 Billion Trees program ongoing call for proposals
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• Natural Climate Solutions Fund
• New Urban Trees and Naturalization
• The City Plan

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-323-7892, [email protected]; Mike Steger, Communications Advisor, City of Edmonton, 780-220-4458, [email protected]