Support building for Ontario Green Legacy proposal

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington-Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2015

Support building for Ontario Green Legacy proposal

(Queen’s Park) – With Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott’s Private Member’s Resolution set to
be debated on October 22, support for the idea of taking Wellington Country’s Green Legacy
Programme province-wide is growing.

Mr. Arnott is proposing embarking on an ambitious tree planting programme with the goal of planting
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150 million trees beginning in 2017 to celebrate Ontario’s 150 anniversary within Confederation.

“We have already received a number of endorsements, and I look forward to that support continuing
to grow,” said Mr. Arnott.

Established in 2004, Wellington County’s Green Legacy programme plants over 150,000 trees
across the County each year. It has become the largest municipal tree planting programme in North
America.

“We can build on the great work has been started in Wellington County and leave a legacy that will
benefit our entire province for generations to come,” Mr. Arnott argued.

Mr. Arnott is hopeful that MPPs from all parties will back his proposal.

“Expanding our tree planting efforts should transcend party lines,” Mr. Arnott concluded. “I hope that
this is an idea that all MPPs can get behind.”

* * * *

Endorsements:

“We are pleased to support Mr. Arnott’s resolution to engage all Ontarians in tree planting initiatives
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to celebrate our 150 birthday. On behalf of many urban forest NGOs I think I can safely say, we
would welcome the opportunity to work with the Ministry of Natural Resources to develop a workable
program that would support this very ambitious program.”
– Toni Ellis, Coordinator, NeighbourWoods on
the Grand

“The Ontario Federation of Agriculture wholeheartedly supports your resolution coming before the
Ontario Legislature to set a goal of planting 150 million trees across Ontario beginning in 2017,
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marking Ontario’s 150 anniversary as a Province within Confederation.

Not only an important symbolic gesture and recognition of our heritage, our resolution provides a
practical outcome, leaving a lasting, positive legacy for generations to come. Expanding Ontario’s
tree cover can have positive impacts on greenhouse gases, erosion control, and soil health across
Ontario.

We can also envision this undertaking as a focal point for communities and volunteers across our
province, fostering a healthy environment and communities.

On behalf of Ontario famers, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture salutes your initiative and wish
you success with your resolution on October 22.”
– Don McCabe, President, Ontario Federation of
Agriculture

“Two thirds of Ontario is covered with forests that grow on urban, private and public lands. These
forests are managed sustainably by licenced professional foresters. Licenced professional foresters
ensure forests are restored so that all the ecological services such as wildlife habitat, timber and soil
protection Ontarians get from forests are protected. Canada was a forested nation when it came into
existence and still is. The Ontario Professional Foresters Association that governs professional
foresters in Ontario supports planting trees to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.”
– Fred Pinto, Executive Director, Ontario
Professional Foresters Association, Georgetown

“I think the project to plant 150 million native trees is a terrific project that would appropriately mark
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Ontario’s 150 anniversary as a province.

When the early settlers came to Southern Ontario in the 1800’s Ontario was covered with beautiful
hardwood forests.

Virtually all the forests disappeared as the land was cleared for agriculture, but that was a time when
people never gave a second thought to the environment.

Today, the human foot print is threatening earth’s entire eco-system, and some 250,000 people
being added to the earth’s population every day.

So it would be fitting as part of the province’s environmental agenda to launch a sustained effort to
restore at least some of the trees that are so important not only to absorb carbon dioxide and offset
the rising atmospheric levels of greenhouse gas, but also add to the beauty of the countryside.

I am happy to add my support for Ted Arnott’s idea, which would be an entirely “made in Ontario”
project with 100% local content and local impact, that every Ontario resident could participate in.

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When our descendants celebrate the 250 anniversary of Ontario as a province, they will sit in the
shade of 150 million magnificent hardwood trees and thank us for having that foresight and vision.”
– Laurent Thibeault, community leader in Halton
Hills

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Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org