Today, the City of Cornwall announced that it has received a TD Green Space Grant from the Arbor Day Foundation.
Funded by TD Bank Group, this grant will support innovative urban greening and tree planting projects in pursuit of environmental equity. With heat waves becoming more frequent, vulnerable populations need sufficient tree canopy and dedicated green space to curb the impact of the urban heat island effect and increase climate resiliency throughout their neighbourhoods.
The City of Cornwall plans to use the grant to increase its urban tree cover canopy. The City of Cornwall was one of 22 US and Canadian cities selected to receive a grant.
“Green spaces play a critical role in helping to create more vibrant, livable cities, which can positively impact the health of community members. Focusing on and investing in projects that lead to more equitable access to trees is crucial.” said Janice Farrell Jones, Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group. “We are proud to continue our support for the Arbor Day Foundation through the TD Ready Commitment to promote innovative community projects that can lead to more equitable access to green spaces, including the work being done by the City of Cornwall.”
“As we continue to experience these increasingly frequent and prolonged periods of extreme heat, planting trees to provide shade and cooling has become a necessity for our most vulnerable communities,” said Dan Lambe, Chief Executive at the Arbor Day Foundation. “We are excited to help support the City of Cornwall in their efforts to equip their neighbourhoods with the right trees to lead to a more sustainable future.”
“It’s very exciting to receive this grant. Together with Raisin Region Conservation Authority, we will be planting boulevard and backyard trees in an urban neighbourhood where tree canopy is lacking,” said Angela Parker, Sustainability Project Coordinator. “We are grateful to TD and Arbor Day Foundation for helping us make this happen.”
TD provides funding for the grants, which are awarded annually, and the Arbor Day Foundation administers the program. TD Green Space Grants are made possible through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank’s corporate citizenship platform, aimed at helping open doors to a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.
This year, funding was granted to 22 municipalities that are driving programs aligned to the theme TD Green Space: Using green infrastructure to cool vulnerable neighborhoods.
To be eligible for a grant, qualified municipalities must be located within Canada and the TD operating footprint in the United States. Priority was given to projects occurring in underserved areas of local communities.
For more information, visit arborday.org/programs/tdgreenspacegrants.
