GATINEAU, QC, March 18, 2025 /CNW/ – Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault,  Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, announced more than $16 million in funding for four tree-planting projects that will bring environmental, health and social benefits to both urban and rural communities across the province of Quebec.

The City of Gatineau and the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu are receiving funding for urban tree-planting projects that will plant new trees on public lands, helping to capture carbon, increase biodiversity and cool areas vulnerable to extreme heat.

With the funding announced today, the City of Gatineau will:

increase its urban tree canopy to 30 percent by planting 80,000 new trees in all the city’s communities over the next six years;establish urban forests that will help improve air and soil quality, support biodiversity and contribute to the health and well-being of citizens; andcreate five new jobs in the region, as well as long-term contracts for forest maintenance over the years.

The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu will carry out its own tree-planting project that will:

plant 70,000 new trees and increase its urban tree canopy to 20 percent, with the longer-term goal of 30-percent tree cover;beautify the city by planting trees and establishing micro-forests along roadways, riverbanks and in existing forests; andsequester carbon while increasing the city’s resilience to the effects of climate change.

Two more federally funded projects across the province will contribute toward reforestation and afforestation in rural areas of Quebec:

Harpur Farm LTD is receiving funds to plant 251,000 trees in western Quebec, afforesting more than 208 acres of marginal lands and reforesting 41 acres in degraded woodlands.  In collaboration with Nature Conservancy Canada, this project will expand the critical Plaisance–Tremblant ecological corridor, to allow wildlife to move freely north–south and will establish multi-species forests with edible forest products such as nuts, acorns, fruit and maple syrup.Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu is receiving funds to develop a 100-percent automated, Indigenous-led tree nursery in Mashteuiatsh, Lac-Saint Jean, that will be able to produce more than 10 million seedlings per year. The proponent will set up 30 state-of-the-art greenhouses to produce seedlings to reforest the boreal forest.

These projects are being supported in part by Canada’s 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program. This program is dedicated to working with governments and organizations across the country to support the expansion of Canada’s forests while creating sustainable jobs in communities.

Quotes

“Trees are essential to our lives: they clean the air we breathe, they make the outdoors even more enjoyable, they provide new habitats for wildlife, and they help us adapt to a changing climate. The Government of Canada is pleased to be supporting municipalities and private organizations in Quebec in their efforts to increase urban green spaces and forests. By planting the right tree in the right place, we are creating a greener, healthier and more-resilient Canada for generations to come.” 

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“Trees are one of the most effective ways to fight climate change and tackle biodiversity loss. We’re helping communities across the country become greener and more sustainable. In the cities of Gatineau and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, this means planting tens of thousands of new trees — reducing pollution, improving air quality and combating urban heat islands, especially during extreme heat. This initiative will increase the urban tree canopy by over 20 percent in both cities and increase the quality of life for families. With over $12 billion invested in conservation and climate solutions since 2015, our government is building a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant

“Thanks to this investment from the federal government, Gatineau is taking another step toward implementing its Urban Forestry Plan and building a more sustainable city to reduce vulnerability to climate change. Planting 80,000 new trees is more than just an environmental initiative — it’s a concrete commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our residents by creating cooler, more attractive and accessible neighborhood’s and public spaces. With this vision, the city of Gatineau is accelerating the balance between urban development and the preservation of natural spaces.”

Maude Marquis-Bissonnette
Mayor, City of Gatineau

“Valuable to our community, this funding allows us to increase our efforts to green our territory, one of the main objectives of our Tree Policy. As a City, we are working to provide a greener, more resilient and sustainable environment for our citizens in a context where climate change is already having a real impact. This support is a new incentive in achieving these collective goals, whose impacts will be felt quickly and well beyond our generation.”

Andrée Bouchard
Mayor, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

“Harpur Farms is a multi-generational family forestry business. We strongly believe that ‘great societies are those where people plant trees in whose shade they will never sit’. It is our privilege to work with a partner who shares the same long-term view.”

Jordan Harpur
President, Harpur Farms Ltd.

“First Nations want to play an active role in forest industry activities — especially in land management, forest reforestation and the production of forest seedlings to be planted on our Nitassinan (Territory) — and, above all, to leave an incredible legacy to our future generations.”

Ricardo Arias
President and Founder, Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu

Quick Facts

The Government of Canada is contributing $2.7 million toward the City of Gatineau’s urban tree-planting project. The project is expected to plant 80,000 trees throughout the city by March 31, 2031.The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu received $2 million in funding from Canada’s 2BT program to plant 70,000 trees by March 31, 2031.Harpur Farm LTD received $1.9 million from Canada’s 2BT program to plant 251,000 trees on 208.5 acres of marginal lands and 41.9 acres in degraded woodlands.Canada’s 2BT program is funding $10 million to Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu to build a fully automated Indigenous-led forest nursery.These projects are being supported by Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program. 2BT is part of the Government of Canada’s broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. The program is dedicated to working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non-and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples across the country to ensure that the benefits of tree planting will endure for generations.2BT engages with applicants to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Funding recipients report every year, and the program has a long-term monitoring plan to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites.As of September 2024, the Government of Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements with partners to plant over 716 million trees.

Related Information

2 Billion Trees programOur action: How we will get there togetherPlanting the right tree in the right place for a better tomorrow2 Billion Trees working with provinces and territories2BT Monitoring Plan2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong EconomyUpdate on Quebec’s Economic and Financial Situation – Fall 2024Ville de GatineauVille de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (in French)Harpur Farms LTDPepinière Forestière Tshitassinu

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada