By Canadian Press

The federal government promised to plant 2 billion trees by 2030. It’s nowhere close.

Apr 20, 2023 | 7:13 AM

OTTAWA — Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco says Canada is nowhere close to meeting its goal of planting two billion trees in 10 years.

The Liberals first made the massive tree-planting promise during the 2019 federal election campaign and followed through with a 10-year $3.2 billion budget for it a year later.

An audit of the first two years of planting says it appears the government isn’t on track to get even four per cent of the promised trees in the ground by the end of 2030.

The government aimed to get 30 million trees planted in 2021 and another 60 million in 2022, but it is already behind schedule for 45 million of them.

DeMarco says Ottawa came close to meeting its target the first year, planting 95 per cent of the planned total.

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But in 2022, the government only had signed agreements in place to plant 28 per cent of the promised number.

DeMarco says that without more effort to sign long-term agreements with provinces, territories and other partners that will do the actual planting, Canada isn’t going to come anywhere close to meeting its two billion tree goal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2023.

The Canadian Press