The Liberals have finally added a price tag to their plan to plant two billion trees in the span of ten years.
According to the latest economic update unveiled by Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland yesterday, taxpayers can expect to spend $3.16 billion on the initiative.
“Our growth plan must continue to advance our progress on climate and create jobs in the clean economy. That’s why we are announcing our commitment to plant 2 billion trees over the next 10 years,” claimed the update.
“To fight climate change, protect forests and create good jobs, the government proposes to provide up to $3.16 billion, over ten years, starting in 2021-22, with $2 million in remaining amortization, to Natural Resources Canada to partner with provinces, territories, non-governmental organizations, Indigenous communities, municipalities, and others to plant 2 billion trees.”
The Liberals first promised to begin planting the trees in 2019, while teenage climate alarmist Greta Thunberg was touring throughout Canada.
“We’ll plant 2 billion trees over the next ten years. That’s it. That’s the tweet,” tweeted Trudeau on Sept. 27, 2019.
However, later disclosures revealed that a year later, not a single tree was planted by the federal government.
The 10-year target would require 200 million trees to be planted annually, or over 500,000 a day, beginning in September 2019.
Without any trees planted by 2020, that means over 222 million trees would have to be planted each year if the Liberals hope to reach their goal.
“Officials are currently preparing a comprehensive plan to fulfill this commitment,” spokesperson Ian Cameron told La Presse in an email statement that has been translated from French.
“Once programs are in place, planting can begin in various locations across Canada, including public forests, private lands, crown lands and urban spaces.”
