City of Winnipeg and federal government launch tree-planting program

Canada is working to get two billion trees planted across the country and its efforts are expanding to Winnipeg.

Starting on Wednesday the Home Grown grant program will be accepting grant applications.

The program is part of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Commitment, which promises to plant the aforementioned amount of greenery throughout the country in 10 years.

As part of that effort, the Home Grown grant goal is to get 71,000 trees planted throughout the city in the next five years.

“Canada’s commitment to plant two billion trees is a key part of our collective effort to tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss,” says Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of natural resources.

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“Our partnership with the City of Winnipeg to launch the Home Grown tree planting grant program will plant over 71,000 trees. This will help capture and store carbon from the atmosphere, improve air and water quality, and enhance local biodiversity while creating sustainable jobs.”

Community groups can apply for up to $20,000. Successful applicants will also get one-on-one guidance from a city arborist to ensure ongoing success.

“We’re happy that … the recipients of this grant will soon be bringing trees to the areas of Winnipeg that need them the most,” said Kerienne La France, supervisor of urban forestry technical services with the city.

“We know that this grant program will help make tree planting activities and environmental stewardship more inclusive and accessible to all Winnipeggers. That’s really what this program is ultimately about.”

La France says the additional funds will significantly increase the city’s annual tree-planting rate.

“Historically, our natural services branch would have planted between 700 and a thousand trees per year. They are now looking to plant over 10,000 for their particular projects every year.

“And in forestry branch ourselves, historically, we would have planted an average of 2,500 trees per year. But thanks to this extra support, we are maximizing our capacity to plant about 5,000 trees.”

Anyone interested in applying for the grant can visit the city’s website.

Applications close on March 1.