No budget yet for federal Liberals' promise to plant two billion trees by 2030

By Mia Rabson, National Observer, November 3, 2020

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's massive tree-planting promise from the 2019 election has yet to be allocated a single dime.

Trudeau pledged a year ago that the government would plant two billion more trees by 2030, or about 200 million extra trees per year. It was to be part of a $3-billion, decade-long effort to manage, conserve and restore forests, grasslands and wetlands, starting with $300 million in 2020-21.

It was clear last month that no trees had been planted this year, a failure Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan's staff chalked up to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it has become clear the program was never given any money.

"We are awaiting a budget decision," said Beth MacNeil, assistant deputy minister of the Canadian Forest Service, before the House of Commons' natural-resources committee on Oct. 30.

"But in the meantime we do continue, myself and my team, since late last fall to engage with potential partners."

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/11/02/news/-budget--liberals-promise-plant-two-billion-trees-2030?utm_source=National+Observer&utm_campaign=06ac9c6da4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_11_04_12_30_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cacd0f141f-06ac9c6da4-277003849

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