Two national charities celebrate Earth Day by teaming up to support 10 urban tree-planting projects

Photo: A 2024 planting project supported by both Green Communities Canada (GCC) and Trees for Life. Located in Ottawa, this project was led by GCC member EnviroCentre and it was conducted in partnership with Ottawa Community Housing and Forêt Capitale Forest. 68 volunteers planted an area of 50 square metres and with 58 native trees, 47 native shrubs, and 50 native forbs.

Green Communities Canada and Trees for Life join forces to help communities across Canada mitigate extreme weather events and support biodiversity.

Peterborough, ON, 22 April, 2025. Green Communities Canada and Trees for Life are celebrating Earth Day by announcing a pilot partnership. This partnership will provide communities across Canada with over $130,000 to support on-the-ground climate action. Over 3,000 trees will be planted in ten projects located in eight cities spread across five provinces. 

This partnership supports communities facing higher levels of environmental and social inequity. Historically, residents most affected by the impacts of climate change have also been the residents most likely to be excluded from urban decision-making. Leadership from within the communities will help shape and create these projects. The communities will also have access to the networks and resources of both Green Communities Canada and Trees for Life.  

“Greening initiatives should do more than plant trees,” explained Brianna Salmon, Executive Director of Green Communities Canada. “These initiatives also need to focus on climate justice so that we can create thriving, inclusive communities. Through this partnership, we will improve health and wellbeing while also absorbing floodwater, reducing urban heat, and improving air quality. Our big challenge is to rapidly scale green infrastructure across Canada. We are thrilled to be partnering with Trees for Life to make more of these projects happen.” 

Key objectives of the pilot partnership include: 

• Reducing barriers for equity-deserving groups to lead local tree planting projects.  

• Supporting all project partners with training, funding, and project management supports.  

• Integrating monitoring and maintenance considerations into all planting projects.  

“At Trees for Life, we’re committed to planting trees where Canadians live, work, and play – especially in communities that have been historically underserved,” said Marina Dimitriadis, Executive Director of Trees for Life. “This partnership with Green Communities Canada is a powerful example of what’s possible when organizations come together with shared values and a common goal. We’re proud to be supporting local leaders as they bring meaningful greening projects to life.”  

 This one-year pilot partnership includes the following projects: 

1. Buena Vista Boulevard Garden, Saskatoon, SK: New shade trees will be added to the existing 540 square metre boulevard garden in the Buena Vista neighbourhood. The garden includes drought-resistant prairie plants. The Buena Vista School is a local partner in this project. The school community creates compost out of food waste to nourish the garden.  
2. Carleton University, Ottawa, ON: A new 200 square metre mini forest, featuring 600 new plants, will be planted at Carleton University to support the mental and physical health of students, staff, and faculty, and in alignment with their Outdoor Space Master Plan. The new mini forest will serve as an inclusive and accessible space for recreation, learning, and cultural activities, and a place for stress relief and relaxation. 
3. Conseil régional de l’environnement de l’Estrie (CREE), Sherbrooke, QC: Through the Sous les pavés initiative (Depave), CREE is working with a school in Granby to remove pavement and install 180 new plants. 
4. EnviroCentre, Ottawa, ON: A new, densely-planted 200 square metre mini forest will be added in Ottawa, featuring 600-800 native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. 
5. Garden City Conservation Society and City of Richmond, Richmond, BC: A new 200 square metre mini forest featuring over 600 plants will be installed to add biodiversity, shade, and air quality improvements. 
6. Groupe de recommendations et d’actions pour un meilleur environnement (GRAME), Montréal, QC: Through the VIVRE project (Ville Inclusive, Verte, Résiliente et Équitable – which in French translates to: Inclusive, Green, Resilient, and Equitable City), over 100 plants will be added in an under natured area of Montréal.  
7. Halton Environment Network, Halton, ON: A food forest will be planted to support local food security, and will revitalize an orchard space in Oakville, near the Oakville Pollinator Pathway. 
8. Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), Toronto, ON: LEAF will work with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) to plant and steward 350 trees and shrubs with residents living on TCHC properties, to increase canopy cover and ecological resilience. 
9. Toronto Green Community, Toronto, ON: A new 100 square metre mini forest will be planted in Toronto featuring 350 native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. 
10. Wolseley Residents’ Association, Tree Committee, Winnipeg, MB: A new food forest featuring perennials, shrubs, and trees in Omand’s Creek Park, near the Assiniboine River. The plants will include edible shrubs and trees, including apples, pears, plums, haskaps, saskatoons, cherries, and highbush cranberries. 

“Both Green Communities Canada and Trees for Life have been leading urban greening in Canadian communities for decades. By coming together, we will amplify our impact for all Canadians,” said Emily Amon, Director of Green Infrastructure Programs at Green Communities Canada. “People need this kind of opportunity right now. These projects create a strong sense of hope and community, addressing both the emotional and physical challenges of climate change within our urban landscapes.” 

About Green Communities Canada 

Green Communities Canada (GCC) has been leading community-based climate action since 1995. With over 50 member and partner organizations located across Canada, GCC shares resources, co-creates programming, and advances transformative and equitable change. As a national organization, GCC’s goal is to support and sustain grassroots action. GCC does this by acting as a network, funder, backbone, and accelerator. GCC has a solid track record of leading community-engaged green infrastructure programming through their Depave Paradise Initiative, National Mini Forest Program, and Living Cities Canada Fund. 

 About Trees for Life 

Trees for Life is a Canadian charity driven to inspire, support and mobilize community-led tree and shrub-planting initiatives. Its mission is to create a healthier, happier Canada by planting native trees where people live, work, and play. Including the work of its first projects, the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign and  GrandTrees Climate Solutions, Trees for Life has raised over $18 million to support the planting and stewardship of over 3.3 million trees across Canada. 

 About mini forests 

A mini forest — also known as a Miyawaki forest, micro forest or tiny forest — is a community of native trees and shrubs planted tightly together in an urban or suburban site based on the Miyawaki method. The method emphasizes the use of dense plantings, diverse locally native species collections, soil preparation, and multi-layered design to mimic the complexity of a native forest. This dense planting technique results in taller plants in a shorter time period.  

Mini forests provide a variety of ecosystem services that offer both environmental and social benefits. From reducing air pollution to increasing biodiversity, and providing necessary habitat for wildlife, these small plots can have a big impact on their local environments. They provide much-needed green spaces for people to enjoy, offering mental health benefits and improving air quality. Mini forests also help reduce runoff, prevent flooding and mitigate the urban heat island effect.