EnviroCentre secures federal funding to green Ottawa schools

Ottawa’s more than 300 schools offer natural ground to grow the city’s urban and community canopy.

Thanks to a $328,000 grant funded by the Government of Canada through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Growing Canada’s Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative, EnviroCentre’s Trees for Schools project will be able to plant a combined 3,060 trees, 2,400 shrubs and 2,400 plants across 20 school sites in Ottawa over the next two years. 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.

Each site will undergo a full assessment, with a customized planting, monitoring and maintenance plan tailored to the site and tree species. Plantings will include individual trees and tiny forests, using small potted, larger potted, and caliper stock, tailored to each site.

EnviroCentre will offer administrative support for site and soil assessments, tree procurement, planting coordination and maintenance planning, along with curriculum-linked educational programming developed in partnership with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society to give students hands-on learning opportunities.

“Every tree we plant in a schoolyard is also a classroom. Students get to watch these trees grow, understand what they do for their community, and see firsthand how small actions add up to real climate resilience,” said project lead, Stephanie Benoit.

“FCM is proud to support the EnviroCentre’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.”

Trees for Schools will contribute to the City of Ottawa’s goal of reaching 40 per cent canopy cover by 2037, with priority given to areas of the city with the lowest existing tree cover.

 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 its 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 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 $291-million initiative, ending in 2031, funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by FCM. Capacity building is enabled through a partnership with Tree Canada.