The City of Montreal is proud to support the greening and reinforcement of the canopy on private and institutional sites located on its territory by offering a major financial contribution of $3,540,250 to the NPO Société de verdissement du Montréal métropolitain (Soverdi). This amount will support Soverdi and member organizations of the Urban Forest Alliance in the planting of 16,000 trees and 4,500 shrubs, scheduled for 2024. Financial support will also be provided for the maintenance of plantations planted in 2022 and 2023.
In keeping with the administration's commitment to strengthening its canopy to improve the well-being of Montrealers, this is the eighth consecutive year that the Ville de Montréal has granted such funding to Soverdi. Over 100,000 trees and shrubs have been planted by Soverdi since the beginning of this collaboration.
Reaching our objectives
As part of its 2020-2030 Climate Plan and its Nature and Sports Plan, the City of Montreal has set itself the goal of substantially increasing plantings on private and institutional property. Having successfully achieved its initial target of 25% canopy cover by 2025, Montreal is now stepping up its efforts to aim for 26% by the same deadline.
"It's a pleasure to grant, for the eighth year running, substantial financial support to the Soverdi organization, which is helping to accelerate the greening of the metropolis. By taking action on private and institutional property, Soverdi is helping to achieve the goal of planting 500,000 trees in Montreal by 2030. It's a major challenge that we must continue to tackle with the entire population and partners like Soverdi, who act as real gas pedals of the movement. Together, we can make it happen," declared Laurence Lavigne Lalonde, executive committee member responsible for major parks, Mont-Royal and Parc Jean-Drapeau.
"We are grateful for the trust placed in us by the City of Montreal through this financial contribution, which once again demonstrates its commitment to the urban forest as a whole. Thanks to this support, Soverdi will continue its mission of supporting and coordinating member organizations of the Urban Forest Alliance, aimed at bringing nature back into the city. By offering turnkey greening programs at affordable costs to businesses, health and educational institutions, as well as to residents via the "Un arbre pour mon quartier" campaign, we are offering all community players the opportunity to contribute to the creation of a city that is more resilient to climate change, in particular by combating heat islands in the most vulnerable sectors," explains Simon Racine, Soverdi's General Manager.
