Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott is not giving up on the idea of establishing an Ontario Green Legacy Program and is continuing to push the government to massively expand it’s tree planting efforts.
In October 2015, Arnott brought forward a Private Members’ Resolution calling on the government to take the County of Wellington’s Green Legacy Program province-wide, with the goal of planting 150 million trees beginning in 2017 to celebrate Ontario’s 150th anniversary as a province within Canada.
The resolution was passed unanimously by the Ontario Legislature, with the support of MPPs from all parties.
Arnott raised the issue again with Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Kathryn McGarry in Question Period on Nov. 17.
“The government has now had more than a year since my resolution was passed. What specifically has the ministry done to begin planning to implement an Ontario Green Legacy Program?” Arnott asked the Minister.
Arnott believes the proposal has widespread support, including from the Premier.
“As members will recall, this past September at the International Plowing Match, which was held in Wellington County, Warden George Bridge mentioned our idea for an Ontario Green Legacy Program in his remarks,” Arnott told the Minister. “I was sitting on the stage, directly behind the Premier. She turned around and told me, ‘It’s a great idea.’
“My question is simple. If the County of Wellington supports it, the Ontario Legislature supports it, the Premier supports it, and the David Suzuki Foundation and many other groups support it, why aren’t they doing it?” he asked.
Arnott remains hopeful that the government will act to expand Ontario’s tree planting, and take the County of Wellington’s programprovince-wide.
“I was encouraged by my conversation with the Minister after Question Period,” he said afterward. “I intend to continue to push to expand Ontario’s tree planting efforts. I hope the Government will do it, but we’re running out of time if we’re going to launch something for next year.”
“We need to take the county’s Green Legacy Programme province-wide.”
McGarry responded “We made a bold commitment on this side of the house a few years ago to plant 50 million trees in the province of Ontario under the Premier’s leadership, and we are starting to accomplish that. In fact, we’ve planted more than 22 million trees so far, so we are well on track to be able to accomplish that.”
She applauded that particular organization for their implementation program.
“They have a great way of getting the trees out to schoolchildren and other community groups. I’m going to continue to work towards ensuring that we have our commitment done, including the one million trees that we’re planting within the urban areas, not only for beautifycation but also to try to fill in the gaps where there have been ash trees lost to the emerald ash borers.”
