(Ottawa) The federal government has planted less than 0.5% of the two billion trees it has pledged to plant across Canada by 2030, the Canadian Press has learned.
Figures obtained from an access to information request show 8.5 million trees had been planted by mid-November, just over 0.4% of what the Liberals promised Many times.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made that promise during the 2019 election campaign, and the goal was repeated in the government’s 2020 Speech from the Throne.
He says the two billion trees would help Canada meet its climate change goals while creating an estimated 4,300 new jobs.
Despite the slow start of tree planting efforts, the Natural Resources Department said the program is not falling behind.
“There will be around 30 million trees planted by the end of this year. Tree planting under this program will continue to intensify, ”said Joanna Sivasankaran of Natural Resources Canada.
“Partners” are committed to growing these 30 million trees, according to the ministry, which has not yet received or validated all the figures.
Green MP Mike Morrice said the news that only 8.5 million trees had been planted so far was “incredibly disappointing” but “not a surprise”.
“We have seen a model of this government which consists in making grandiose promises around the elections, but not to follow up, it is the most recent example”, declared the deputy Morrice. “Planting trees is one of the cheapest forms of climate action, while regenerating forests can also reduce erosion. ”
The government has said it is planning a major tree-planting campaign by the end of December, with a call to register new partners to plant an additional 250 to 350 million trees per year.
He blamed the slow start to the supply of plants, which can take two years to grow.
In its response to the Freedom of Information request, Natural Resources Canada said it had received 120 expressions of interest from organizations to plant trees in February 2021 and “finalize agreements to support the planting of over $ 30 million. trees across the country, in urban and rural areas. ”
According to government data, 7.6 million of the 8.5 million trees planted since the Prime Minister made his promise were in British Columbia. In Ontario, 89,000 additional trees were planted, and 60,400 in Saskatchewan, 238,000 in Alberta, nearly 350,000 in Quebec and 235,000 in New Brunswick.
A wide variety of trees have been planted, including millions of conifers, according to government data. In British Columbia, 2.8 million spruce trees and 3.9 million lodgepole pines have taken root. In Ontario, 18,500 oaks, including white oak, have been planted alongside maple, hickory and black walnut trees.
Natural Resources Canada said the numbers obtained from the Freedom of Information request represent “the most recent compilation of planting data from 2021” up to mid-November. The ministry said it will have the final numbers for trees planted in 2021 by next spring and expects more trees to be added to the final tally of other planting sites.
In an effort to give the program a boost, the government is set to announce a multi-million dollar campaign to plant up to 350 million trees per year, including investments in growing seedlings. . He plans to issue a call for proposals to grow trees across Canada by the end of the month. Target areas include forests, parks, suburban and urban areas, coastal areas, farms and ranches.
The commitment to plant an additional two billion trees by 2030 means that an additional 200 million are expected to be planted each year, in addition to the usual 500 million seedlings planted each year, including by the forest industry.