Forests and trees capture and store carbon, making them an effective natural climate solution. Forests also clean the air that we breathe, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity and help cool our urban centres. Planting two billion trees in the next decade is a crucial part of Canada's climate plan, and the Government of Canada is continuing to work with provinces, territories, local communities and Indigenous Peoples.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, joined by the Honourable Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests of British Columbia, visited the Wild Bird Trust of British Columbia in North Vancouver to launch the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program's 2023 tree-planting season and announce that Canada and B.C. have signed a Contribution Agreement under the 2BT program. Under this two-year agreement, over 37 million trees will be planted in the province through nearly $80 million in joint funding from Canada and British Columbia.
The reforestation project will be primarily focused on wildfire-impacted areas. Ecological benefits include converting severely burnt areas into future healthy forests, restoring wildlife habitat and reducing the hydrological impacts of disturbed areas. The estimated carbon benefit of this project is 2.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is the greenhouse gas equivalent of taking 467,314 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for one year. The project is also expected to create and maintain around 810 direct and indirect jobs. Outside of the federal 2BT program, British Columbia has planted 1.6 billion trees since 2017. That record reflects provincial ministry-funded reforestation and the provincially-mandated silviculture obligations of forest companies as a condition of harvest.
Today's funding complements joint funding under the 2BT program to help prepare British Columbia for this year's planting season. This funding, for projects that took place in 2021 and 2022, supported survey work in the Cariboo and Thompson Rivers, the Okanagan and other interior regions of British Columbia impacted by wildfires. This preparation provided economic benefits to tree-seed orchards and tree nurseries, with trees to be planted from a wide range of seed sources in support of B.C.'s climate adaptation strategy and Canada's climate plan.
The project announced today with British Columbia is one of six recently signed multi-year Contribution Agreements between the federal government and provinces and territories under the 2BT program. Work to finalize additional agreements with provinces and territories to plant more trees across Canada is well underway.
Planting two billion trees over a decade is a crucial part of Canada's climate plan - this is a marathon, not a sprint. Planting numbers may fluctuate as the program ramps up. Last year's summer update reported that approximately 29 million trees were planted, amounting to about 97 percent of the 2021 season's planting projection. Minister Wilkinson will provide a further update with planting numbers from the 2022 planting season later this summer.
By working together with provinces, territories, local communities and Indigenous Peoples, Canada continues to combat climate change with all of the solutions at our disposal, including by planting two billion trees over the next decade.
