OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian government is embarking on an ambitious plan to plant 2 billion trees over the next 10 years backed by $3.16 billion in federal monies.

This represents a 40 percent annual increase in the number of trees planted in Canada and will include both urban and rural areas across the country. Collectively, the government said the additional 2 billion trees will cover more than 1.1 million hectares, an area twice the size of Prince Edward Island.

The tree planting initiative ties in with Canada’s previously stated goal to reduce carbon pollution and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to address climate change. The government projects that planting 2 billion trees could reduce greenhouse gas emission by up to 12 megatonnes by 2050 and create up to 4,300 jobs to boot.

“Planting two billion trees is more than a plan for climate action, said Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s minister of Natural Resources. “It’s a plan for creating thousands of good, green jobs. We’re confronting the urgency of climate change and getting trees in the ground starting this spring.”

The tree planting campaign is being implemented by Natural Resources Canada with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. To jumpstart the plan, the government is developing partnerships with nurseries. In addition, the government is working to strengthen relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including:

• Indigenous organizations and communities;
• Other governments, including provincial, territorial, and municipal, and Indigenous governments;
• Industry, including forest management and silviculture companies, forest sector associations, and nurseries/seed orchards;
• Farmers and agricultural stakeholders;
• Program delivery agents, organizations with established tree planting programs, such as conservation authorities and not-for-profit organizations;
• Corporate and philanthropic organizations with an interest in supporting large-scale tree planting and greening initiatives; and
• Others, such as woodlot owner associations, private land and woodlot owners, community associations, universities and colleges, private firms, and other non-governmental organizations.

Beyond planting trees, the government’s plan includes monitoring that the trees planted survive and to report on the carbon they sequester.

“Planting two billion trees is more than a plan for climate action. It’s a plan for creating thousands of good, green jobs. We’re confronting the urgency of climate change and getting trees in the ground starting this spring.”

Learn more about Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Commitment.