PORT COQUITLAM, BC – October 13, 2026… The City of Port Coquitlam is planting 150 large, caliper-sized trees across four City parks this fall, with support from the Government of Canada through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) Growing Canada's Community Canopies (GCCC) initiative.
Planting got underway on October 5 and will continue over the coming weeks at Castle Park, Gates Park, Lions Park and Blakeburn Park. Residents may notice crews in these parks as the work moves from site to site. Caliper trees are larger, more established nursery trees, measured by the diameter of their trunk, which allows them to provide shade and other benefits sooner than smaller saplings.
"Trees make our parks more comfortable, more beautiful and more resilient for everyone who uses them," said Mayor Brad West. "Thanks to the support of the Government of Canada and FCM, we are adding 150 mature trees to four well-loved parks, and we're inviting students and residents to be part of growing our urban forest for the next generation."
As part of the project, City staff will host a demonstration planting with students from Port Coquitlam schools. During this activity, students will learn about the importance of trees and biodiversity, observe how large trees are planted, and help plant smaller trees nearby. Each student will be offered a tree plug to take home and plant as a thank you for their efforts.
The City will also invite select user groups later this fall to plant tree and shrub seedlings in one of the City’s natural areas to enhance biodiversity and promote canopy regeneration.
The Government of Canada is contributing $77,910 to the project through FCM's Growing Canada's Community Canopies initiative, delivered by FCM's Green Municipal Fund. New trees help cool neighbourhoods, manage stormwater, improve air quality and provide habitat for birds and pollinators.
About FCM's Green Municipal Fund
FCM’s Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is a globally unique organization that leverages investments from the Government of Canada to provide funding and education to municipalities, helping them both reach net-zero and build resilient communities, while also delivering economic and social benefits such as jobs, housing and infrastructure. Since inception in 2000, it has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.02 million tonnes, funded nearly 60,000 person-years of employment and contributed $5.6 billion to the national GDP via the more than 2,850 approved projects. GMF manages approximately $2.4 billion in programs funded by the Government of Canada.
The Green Municipal Fund’s Growing Canada’s Community Canopies is a $291M initiative, ending in 2031, funded by the Government of Canada and delivered by the FCM. Capacity building is enabled through a partnership with Tree Canada.
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