This Canadian City is Paying Residents to Plant Trees

The Canadian City of Parksville is looking to transform the city by encouraging its residents to plant more trees, by offering monetary rebates as a reward.

The initiative will help the city to stamp-down on its carbon footprint and build towards a greener future, which could have an array of potential benefits for both residents and visitors in the area. According to the city’s press statements, many of these benefits could include:

• Reduce traffic and stress levels.
• Provide more privacy and screen out unsightly views.
• Increase property values within the city.
• Improve air quality and reduce storm-water runoff.

According to Trees Canada, a non-profit NGO dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in rural and urban environments, urban forest can also have added benefits of:  

· Promote physical activity and social interaction, 

· Reduce crime rates and violence,  

· Promote healing,  

· Reduce the temperature of cities,  

· Reduce buildings’ energy use, and; 

· Help to preserve biodiversity. 

To be eligible for the rebate (a maximum of one rebate per property, per calendar year is available), trees must be planted in the ground on residential or business properties located within the city’s municipal boundaries.