Toronto deputy mayor says tree canopy in bad shape

citynews.ca
April 29, 2014

Toronto’s tree canopy is in rough shape due to the December ice storm and ongoing battles with the emerald ash borer and Asian long-horned beetle, the deputy mayor said Tuesday.

Norm Kelly held a roundtable discussion on the issue at city hall, saying the tree canopy is down to about 25 per cent coverage.

“It’s reeling right now, and we’re going to have to do our best to repair the 25 per cent that we have,” Kelly said.

“Then, on a go-forward basis, make sure that we put in place a process that will take us to that 40 per cent over the next decade.”

In 2013, city council approved the Strategic Forest Management Plan to increase the Toronto’s tree canopy coverage to 40 per cent.

Forests Ontario, Trees for Life, Scouts Canada, the Toronto District School Board, the University of Toronto and Landscape Ontario were among the roundtable participants.

Kelly said city staff will report back to council at a later date with input from the participants on how to rebuild the canopy.

Torontonians are also invited to help to rebuild the city’s damaged tree canopy by making a tax-deductible donation. Click here for more information on the Recover The Canopy program.

There are at least 116 different tree species in Toronto. The city and its partners planted almost 800,000 trees between 2004 and 2012.

The massive ice storm that hit the GTA on Dec. 21, 2013, downed power lines and left 600,000 customers in Ontario without power. It cost the GTA an estimated $275 million, including $106 million for Toronto.

In February, the Ontario government said it would provide up to $190 million to help municipalities, including Toronto, pay for the cost of cleanup and recovery from the ice storm.