MPP Arnott still pushing for Ontario Green Legacy Programme

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington-Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2016

MPP Arnott still pushing for Ontario Green
Legacy Programme

(Queen’s Park) – Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott continues to persistently advocate for
the idea of an Ontario Green Legacy Programme.

Meeting with senior staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) on April
20 at Queen’s Park, Mr. Arnott and County of Wellington staff made the case for a significant
th
expansion of Ontario’s tree planting efforts, to coincide with the 150 anniversary of the
Province of Ontario in 2017.

“I want to thank our Planning Director Gary Cousins, as well as Wellington Green Legacy staff
Mark Van Patter and Rob Johnson for coming to the Ontario Legislature to share the County’s
experiences with MNRF staff,” Mr. Arnott said afterwards. “We had a productive meeting. The
Ministry staff seemed genuinely interested. They were impressed with the County’s leadership,
and rightly so.”

Last October, Mr. Arnott brought forward a Private Member’s Resolution calling on the
th
Government to establish an Ontario Green Legacy Programme to celebrate Ontario’s 150
anniversary as a province within Canada, with the goal of planting 150 million trees beginning in
2017. The resolution was passed unanimously in the Ontario Legislature with the support of
MPPs from all three parties.

Mr. Arnott’s resolution was inspired by the County of Wellington’s Green Legacy Programme.
The County’s programme, which was established in 2004, plants over 150,000 trees across
Wellington County each year. It has grown in to the largest municipal tree planting programme
in North America.

“The County of Wellington has done a tremendous job with their Green Legacy Programme,”
Mr. Arnott said. “I felt it was important for the Ministry staff to better understand what the County
has done. By taking Green Legacy province-wide, the whole province could benefit from the
great work that is being done in Wellington County.”

Mr. Arnott’s proposal for an Ontario Green Legacy Programme has gained considerable
support. The County of Wellington, the Town of Halton Hills, the David Suzuki Foundation,
NeighbourWoods on the Grand, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Christian Farmers
Federation of Ontario, and the Professional Foresters Association have all expressed support
and numerous other groups have expressed interest.

Mr. Arnott intends to continue to push the Ontario Government to get behind the idea.

“If we are to achieve the ambitious goal of planting 150 million tree beginning in 2017, we need
to work together and get moving,” he concluded.

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

PUSHING FOR ONTARIO GREEN LEGACY – County of Wellington Green Legacy staff meeting
with senior Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry staff in the office of Wellington-Halton Hills
MPP Ted Arnott, Queen’s Park, April 20, 2016.