Calgary to plant 930,000 new trees to increase urban canopy

A leaf-lined street is seen in Calgary on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.

Calgary is set to see a massive increase in the number of trees throughout the city.

The City of Calgary made the announcement on Thursday, saying the move is because of an agreement with the federal government as part of their 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program.

The agreement will see Calgary get 930,000 new trees, thanks to nearly $61 million in funding.

The trees will help the city move toward its goal of nearly doubling Calgary's urban canopy – the amount of ground sheltered by branches, leaves and stems from all publicly and privately owned trees – in the next few decades.

As of 2022, Calgary's tree canopy coverage was 8.25 per cent, and the city says the goal is to increase it to 16 per cent by 2060.

"By planting 930,000 new trees, we will provide more shade to cool our streets, increase our biodiversity, more effectively manage stormwater and enhance our collective social and mental wellbeing," said Mayor Jyoti Gondek in a news release.

Kyle Ripley, Calgary's director of parks and open spaces says healthy trees and a thriving urban canopy are invaluable to Calgarians.

"Not only do they offer climate and environmental benefits, but they also improve our mental wellness and create opportunities for community connection in our parks and outdoors.

According to the City of Calgary, more than 200,000 trees and seedlings were planted on public land over the last two years, and 7,500 trees were provided to residents to plant on their property.