Brampton is stepping closer to its ambitious goal of planting one million trees by 2040 with a fresh $1 million in funding to expand the city’s urban forest. Since the launch of the One Million Trees Program in 2020, more than 244,000 trees have already been planted across the city, representing nearly a quarter of the milestone.
The funding, announced earlier this month, comes through a newly created $1,033,156 capital purse for the Urban Forest Canopy Project. Half the money—$516,570—will be provided by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, while the other half—$516,586—will come from city reserves. By using offset reserves, officials say the investment amounts to a “net zero ask” from Brampton taxpayers.
The program has already brought visible results, with new trees planted along city streets, in natural areas, and across other public lands. The plantings are carried out by Brampton’s parks and forestry contractors, conservation authorities, and volunteers at public tree planting events. The city emphasizes that the project is designed to combat climate change, enhance green spaces, and improve quality of life for residents.
“These tree plantings will provide numerous social and environmental benefits for the City of Brampton and its residents and help us to achieve our goal of a million trees planted by 2040,” a staff report noted.
Residents are also encouraged to participate by planting trees on their own properties and logging them through Brampton’s online Tree Tracker. City officials say this shared effort will not only strengthen the canopy but also leave a lasting legacy for future generations.