The Manitoba government is doing its part to plant two billion trees across Canada in the next 10 years.
A joint announcement by the provincial and federal governments says the province plans to plant up to one million trees annually as part of the federal 2 Billion Trees program.
The province and feds will each give $8.5 million toward the project.
“This investment to plant one million trees annually in Manitoba will fight climate change while strengthening our province’s precious green spaces for generations to come,” Terry Duguid, MP for Winnipeg South, said in a press release.
The release said planting the trees will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the province by approximately 52,473 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050, or the equivalent of taking 16,076 vehicles off the road.
Earlier this year the program supported a planting project in Norway House Cree Nation that saw employment and skills training for 19 people to establish a new forest in the area. The province provided 50,000 conifer seedlings and pay for training and planting.
The feds announced the 2 Billion Trees program last year, at which time the government said it would provide funding to provinces and territories to plant trees on Crown land, on private land, in urban areas, on federal lands and through community-led initiatives.
Planting of the million trees per year is expected to begin next year.