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Tree Canada teams up with BMO Financial to plant thousands of trees in 12 Canadian cities

Volunteers and BMO Financial Group employees are joining Tree Canada today to plant close to 5,000 trees in 12 Canadian communities in celebration of National Tree Day.

Planting events will take place in every province in the following cities: St. John’s, NL; Charlottetown, PE; Truro, NS; Saint John, NB; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; Toronto, ON; Mississauga, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Edmonton, AB; and North Vancouver, BC.

BMO is donating $350,000 over two years in support of National Tree Day and Tree Canada’s mission to inspire, educate and enable Canadians to plant and nurture trees to improve lives and address climate change.

Thanks to BMO’s support, Tree Canada will engage more than 1,800 volunteers to plant more trees than in any previous National Tree Day since it started in 2011. Local BMO employees will join other members of their community to get trees in the ground so they can provide benefits for years to come.

National Tree Day, which takes place every year on the Wednesday of National Forest Week, is an opportunity to celebrate the many benefits that trees provide – clean air, cooler cities, wildlife habitat and connection with nature.

“From extreme temperatures to flood management, trees are essential in the fight against climate change,” Nicole Hurtubise, CEO, Tree Canada, said. “We know that trees cool our cities, clean the air we breathe and generally make our lives better. On National Tree Day, we express gratitude for the benefits and beauty they provide and raise awareness of the need to plant and protect trees in the places where most Canadians live.”

With four out of five people living in urban areas, it is more important than ever to increase the canopy and resiliency of Canada’s urban forests. As Canadians increasingly feel the effects of climate change, planting trees is a practical and economical way to mitigate its negative impacts.

Tree Canada is also encouraging Canadians to organize their own National Tree Day events. Whether by planting trees or cleaning up green spaces, event organizers can register their events on the Tree Canada website for a chance to win a free tree planting activity in their community in 2023.

“Our purpose, to boldly grow the good in business and life, calls for us to drive a sustainable future for all,” Helen Seibel, head, Community and Employee Giving, BMO Financial Group, said. “As a sustainability leader, our work with Tree Canada represents the kind of important partnerships needed to support the transition to a net zero world.”