Nature of risk
Cutting funding for the 2BT program severely weakens one of Canada's flagship nature-based climate solutions. Reduced investment jeopardizes long-term afforestation capacity, slows carbon sequestration efforts, and limits progress on biodiversity restoration. Funding uncertainty also disrupts partnerships with provinces, municipalities, and Indigenous nations, while threatening jobs in nurseries, forestry operations, and environmental services. These cuts erode public trust and signal a retreat from critical climate and conservation commitments at a time when stable, long-term investment is essential.
Policy summary
What changed
The federal Two Billion Trees (2BT) program, which was launched to support large-scale reforestation, restore ecosystems, and enhance carbon sequestration, was cut in the November federal budget as part of broader fiscal tightening. The government has struggled to keep pace with the program's targets, missing annual planting goals for the past two years. While over 228 million trees have been planted to date, more than 1.7 billion still need to be planted by 2030–31 to meet the commitment.
Primary source