New initiative to provide tree planting and strategic planning grants
The Green Municipal Fund will launch its Growing Canada’s Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative in Spring 2024. The new initiative is currently under development and will support the planting of trees in and around communities across the country.
FCM is partnering with Tree Canada to ensure that local governments have access to key expertise and information that informs best planting practices, tree species and site selection as well as procurement, with an eye to future climate conditions and the maintenance of diverse urban canopies.
Long-term benefits local communities
The initiative is designed to encourage local climate action while providing equitable access to trees across communities, ensuring tree survivability, and creating more quality green jobs by 2031. By providing upskilling opportunities and addressing staff capacity gaps, GCCC will enable local governments and communities to increase their tree canopy ambitions.
Investments in planting trees will provide nature-based solutions to combat the impacts of climate change by helping to prevent flooding, providing erosion control, promoting biodiversity, and supporting human well-being by creating more green spaces, cooling temperatures in urban areas and reducing air pollution.
Funding to support community needs and climate action
GCCC funding will help address common barriers local governments and communities face when pursuing tree canopy expansion projects, including insufficient staff capacity, gaps in knowledge and financing.
The initiative will support local governments, and groups partnering with local governments, in taking actions to build their capacity to plant trees and grow resilient and sustainable community canopies.
Eligible activities will include new staffing resources, planning and operation requirements for tree planting projects (e.g., species and site selection, monitoring and maintenance), feasibility studies, skills development and training, and seedling/tree procurement.
Additional information will be provided once available.
GCCC will be funded through the Government of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program and is a further expansion of GMF’s mandate to focus on nature-based climate solutions.