Protecting and Enhancing Toronto's Tree Canopy

It's widely accepted that trees are some of the most valuable natural assets a city can invest in, providing benefits like increased air quality, smog reduction, stormwater management, and carbon sequestration. Toronto’s trees store 1.1 million metric tonnes of carbon, which is equivalent to the yearly carbon emissions from over 700,000 automobiles. They have also proven to be an efficient and cost-effective method of alleviating the urban heat island effect, which occurs when the densely packed buildings and paved surfaces that make up our downtown core trap heat and cause the city to warm.

Toronto has one of the densest urban forests in the world, but that's not by mere happenstance – it's the result of stringent policies, sustained investment, and decades of commitment. Since 2005, the City of Toronto has planted more than one million trees, with studies showing that our canopy coverage has increased from 26.6% to 31% percent over the last decade, representing an increase from 10.2 to 11.5 million trees.

This term, protecting trees and strengthening our by-laws has been one of my key focuses. In 2020, City Council adopted a bold target of expanding our world-class tree canopy to 40% coverage by 2050. We also bolstered our Ravine Strategy – committing $118.1 million to Toronto's ravines in the 2022 Budget – and received the Arbour Day Foundation's 2020 Champion of Trees Award in recognition of the City's outstanding global leadership in urban forestry. Locally, I have worked with community groups across Don Valley West to protect trees in our neighbourhoods and plant more than 10,000 native species in our parks and ravines.

While I am pleased by how much we've accomplished over the last four years, there is still much room for improvement. Like many Ward 15 residents, I am concerned about the impact of development on our urban forest – too often, mature trees feel like they are an afterthought in the planning review process. In fact, a 2018 Tree Canopy Study commissioned by the City found an 85% correlation between parcels of land where building permits were issued and those exhibiting tree canopy loss.

When City Council voted on the updated tree canopy targets, I moved a motion directing City staff to report back with options to address the correlation between building permits and tree canopy loss, and consider decreasing the minimum trunk diameter required for protection under the Private Tree By-law. I've also moved motions to help ensure proper planning measures are in place to preserve trees on active construction sites, particularly those in good health with strong structural integrity.

I am looking forward to continuing my work with the neighbourhoods of Ward 15 – Don Valley West to protect and grow our invaluable urban forest.