Town of Aurora to plant 4,800 new trees to grow community’s urban canopy

The Town of Aurora is on track to plant 4,800 new trees across the community by the end of 2027, helping grow Aurora’s urban canopy and strengthen the Town’s natural environment for generations to come.

The project was made possible through a $635,350 grant funded by the Government of Canada through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative. Announced in May 2024, GCCC will support the planting of at least 1.2 million new trees across Canada by the end of March 2031 while offering funding, resources and coaching to communities.

The project will see approximately 800 larger-caliper trees and 4,000 seedlings planted on municipal lands across Aurora, including along streets, in parks and other green spaces. Planting will be spread throughout the community, with a focus, where possible, on areas with lower existing canopy coverage and areas more affected by the urban heat island effect.

“Trees are such an important part of what makes Aurora a beautiful and healthy place to live, and this investment will allow us to add thousands more across our community,” said Mayor Tom Mrakas. “Following the significant tree loss we experienced during the July storm, growing and strengthening our urban canopy is more important than ever. These new trees are an investment in a greener and more resilient Aurora for generations to come.”

“FCM is proud to support the Town of Aurora’s transformative tree-planting project,” said Tim Tierney, FCM President. “Through the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative and with the support of the Government of Canada, we’re helping municipalities of every size get the right trees in the ground in the right places, creating cooler streets, cleaner air, and healthier neighbourhoods for decades to come.”

“Whether they are providing shade on a hot summer day, improving local green spaces, or bringing people together outdoors, trees make our communities better places to live,” said Secretary of State (Nature), the Honourable Nathalie Provost. “Together, we are helping communities expand their green spaces, providing lasting environmental and community benefits. The trees being planted will provide greater shade and comfort, and contribute to a healthier, more resilient and sustainable community.”

Work is already underway, with grant-supported planting completed this spring along Addison Hall Circle and William Graham Drive East, as well as enhancement plantings in Ada Johnson Park and Thomas Coates Park. Naturalization planting has also taken place in Stewart Burnett Park in partnership with Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), with additional planting proposed for Thomas Coates Park this fall. Additional projects and locations are also planned across Aurora this fall.

The planting represents a significant expansion of Aurora’s urban forest, adding new trees above and beyond the Town’s regular planting activities. With hundreds of trees lost across the community during the severe storm in July, adding 4,800 new trees will also help offset some of that canopy loss while continuing to grow Aurora’s overall tree canopy. The project supports the Town’s long-term target of achieving 40 per cent tree canopy coverage across public and private lands by 2034.

The Town will plant a diverse mix of tree species to help strengthen the resilience of Aurora’s urban forest to the impacts of climate change, pests and disease.

In addition to increasing Aurora’s tree canopy, the new trees will provide a range of environmental and community benefits, including additional shade, improved wildlife habitat, stormwater management, carbon sequestration and natural filtration of air pollutants.

About FCM’s Green Municipal Fund

FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a globally unique organization that leverages investments from the Government of Canada to provide funding and education to municipalities, helping them both reach net-zero and build resilient communities, while also delivering economic and social benefits such as jobs, housing and infrastructure. Since inception in 2000, it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.02 million tonnes, funded nearly 60,000 person-years of employment and contributed $5.6 billion to the national GDP via the more than 2,850 approved projects. GMF manages approximately $2.4 billion in programs funded by the Government of Canada.

The Green Municipal Fund’s Growing Canada’s Community Canopies is a $291M initiative, ending in 2031, funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the FCM. Capacity building is enabled through a partnership with Tree Canada.

This project was carried out with funds from the Government of Canada to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.