July 17, 2025 Whitby, Ontario Natural Resources Canada
Canada and Trees For Life are driving urban and suburban tree-planting projects that will expand local green spaces, improve air and water quality and provide natural shade to cool our cities and communities, making them healthier and more climate resilient.
Today, Ryan Turnbull, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions) and Member of Parliament for Whitby, highlighted a $4-million federal investment for tree-planting projects in urban and suburban areas in southern Ontario. Trees For Life will collaborate with planting partners to plant an average of 24,000 trees annually over five years, for a total of 120,000 trees in communities across southern Ontario.
The collaboration with Trees For Life is already ahead of target, supporting the planting of 83,000 trees in southern Ontario with 35,000 trees planted in 2024 and 48,000 trees planted across 40 projects in 2025 to date.
This project builds on a successful regional model piloted in the Durham Region. Trees For Life worked with local municipalities, conservation authorities, non-profits and other partners to assess how many more trees could be planted, as well as how to meet the unique tree-planting needs of each area. With strong support across the Durham Region and funding from the 2 Billion Trees Program (2BT), Canadian Trees for Life is now expanding this successful model to other regions.
By investing in greener communities today, the federal government is planting the seeds for a more sustainable Canada. Through collaboration and long-term commitment, these efforts will leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
