June 10, 2024 Greater Sudbury, Ontario Natural Resources Canada
Trees play a vital role in sustaining our environment by purifying the air, capturing and storing carbon, and providing new habitat for wildlife. In the global fight against climate change, we have no better ally than our vast forests.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with Marc Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for the Nickel Belt, and Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced two investments through the 2 Billion Trees program. The first is an amount of $200,000 to the City of Greater Sudbury to plant 200,000 trees by 2027 and the second is an amount of $300,000 to the Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA) to increase skilled labour in the tree nursery sector.
Funding to the City of Greater Sudbury to plant trees will help restore lands that were historically affected by industrial activity and support the recovery of self-sustaining, indigenous terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Proper preparation is key to the success of planting new trees.
These trees will serve as a new, healthy and vibrant green space and provide habitats and food sources for birds and animals. They will also capture carbon, fostering cleaner air and a healthier environment for the communities of Greater Sudbury.
Funding to the CTNA will help support tree nurseries and enhance tree production through the development of formal training programs to enhance a highly skilled workforce in the tree nursery supply chain. This investment will help to meet the increasing demand for workers in the industry. These skilled workers will be able to ensure that growing trees follow best practices for environmental sustainability through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on field experience. Canada anticipates benefits to the local community, participants and the overall environment.
Planting through the 2 Billion Trees program has been supported by Forests Ontario, which has worked to restore, care for and grow forested landscapes across hundreds of sites in Ontario and Canada this spring.
Planting two billion trees is a marathon, not a sprint - it requires careful planning and cultivation of seedlings in nurseries. This effort involves collaboration with different levels of government, non-government organizations and Indigenous groups. It also requires a thoughtful approach to each stage of the supply chain, from seed to seedling to planting. More trees in the ground means cleaner air, healthier communities and more carbon sequestration across Canada.
