In 2021 the Town approved a Tree Canopy and Vegetation Preservation and Enhancement Policy. The policy outlines the Town’s plan to reach a minimum of 30% Tree cover. Caring for trees and greenspaces, planting more trees and creating greenspaces provides many benefits such as:

• Managing water drainage and flooding;
• Making homes for wildlife;
• Purifying the air;
• Improving oxygen supply and lung health;
• Reducing heating and cooling costs;
• Creating lively public spaces, good street design; and more.

The policy will help you do your part by providing you with guidelines and best practices on suitable planting locations and types and care of trees and other plantings. It also helps developers plan their larger developments by including recommendations for the number and type of plantings, and how they fit in with the development site.

The policy also covers Municipal Leadership methods to help increase the tree canopy for the Town. This includes how to care for a tree, the replacement of public trees that are removed, identifying neighbourhoods that need more trees and programs to put in place by the Town to help the community.

The guidelines set out by the policy help property owners, developers and the Town achieve the long-term goal of 30% tree cover in the Town.