TORONTO -Steven Del Duca’s Liberals are taking Earth Day to new highs by announcing that they would take the equivalent of 500,000 cars off the road by planting 800 million new trees over the next eight years.
“Doug Ford’s Conservatives simply don’t care about the environment,” said Del Duca. “Their priority is letting their rich buddies bulldoze the Greenbelt and allow carbon emissions to skyrocket. An Ontario Liberal government will make Ontario a place to grow again — starting by planting 100 million trees each year for eight years. Under our plan, all Ontario families will have access to trees to plant at home.”
Forests and urban trees play a critical role in our environment. Trees soak up CO2 emissions, turning them into clean oxygen. Therefore, a lack of trees – particularly in cities – creates a warming effect that leaves us vulnerable to air pollutants, flooding and other natural disasters.
“Ontario was once a global leader in climate action. The Ontario Liberals closed heavy polluting coal power plants so people could breathe easier,” said Del Duca. “We have a proud history of removing pollution from our air—and we’ll do it again by planting 800 million new trees.”
The Ontario Liberals will give all municipalities and every family new trees, at no cost, to plant on their properties and in their communities. The plan will also create 2,000 jobs for recent graduates and summer students that want to dedicate their time to climate action and resilience.