Forests Canada Passes 7 Million Tree Milestone In Ontario Greenbelt

Mar 12, 2026 - 3 months ago

With the help of its planting partners, Forests Canada has now supported the planting of over 7.1 million trees in Ontario Greenbelt, including 750,000 with the Greenbelt Foundation.

Forests Canada Passes 7 Million Tree Milestone In Ontario Greenbelt — *Forests Canada Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Jarrett at a planting site supported by the Greenbelt Foundation in Caledon, Ontario in May 2025.*

Ontario's Greenbelt is a two-million-acre mosaic of agricultural lands, natural forests, and urban areas in the most densely populated region in Canada. Forests Canada’s restoration efforts in the Greenbelt are designed to enhance forested landscapes, strengthen climate resilience, and establish ecological corridors that connect fragmented habitats.

“We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done in Ontario’s Greenbelt since 2008, but we know we couldn’t have done it without our partnership with the Greenbelt Foundation and the support of our trusted planting partners,” Jess Kaknevicius, Chief Executive Officer, Forests Canada, says. “It took the help of nearly 40 planting partners and every one of them should be proud of the benefits that all those trees will provide, including carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, erosion control, and water quality improvements – not to mention the economic benefit to local communities.”

The Greenbelt Foundation – celebrating its 20th anniversary this year – and Forests Canada have partnered since 2022 to increase near-urban and rural forest cover and enhance diverse, natural ecosystems with the planting of 750,000 trees across Ontario’s Greenbelt.

“Planting an additional 750,000 trees in the Greenbelt over the past 3 years is a major investment in healthier forests, cleaner water, and more climate-resilient communities,” Edward McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer of the Greenbelt Foundation, says. “Our partnership with Forests Canada shows what’s possible when we come together with a shared vision for a thriving and protected Greenbelt. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built together, and we’re excited to carry this momentum forward as we work toward our goal of one million trees next year.”

Forests Canada’s most prolific planting partners in the Greenbelt have been Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (nearly 1.3 million trees), Conservation Halton (over 900,000 trees), Credit Valley Conservation Authority (nearly 800,000 trees), Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (nearly 700,000 trees), and Grey Sauble Conservation Authority (over 650,000 trees).

If you live in the Greenbelt and want to learn more about planting trees on your property, please visit www.ForestsCanada.ca/PlantTrees.

Source: Forests Canada