Twenty cities in the U.S. and Canada are getting a $20,000 boost to be greener as TD Bank Group and the Arbor Day Foundation announced the recipients of the inaugural TD Green Space Grants on Wednesday, April 17.
These grants provide each municipality with $20,000 USD to help support green infrastructure development and community green space expansion. TD Bank is funding the grants and the Arbor Day Foundation will administer the program. The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation organization with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.
The following cities were awarded a 2019 TD Green Space Grant:
| United States | Canada |
|---|---|
| Hartford, CT | Lake Country, BC |
| Jacksonville, FL | Trenton, NS |
| Hallandale Beach, FL | Mississauga, ON |
| Morristown, NJ | Niagara Fall, ON |
| Bronx, NY | Toronto, ON |
| Watervliet, NY | Whitby, ON |
| Easton, PA | Petawawa, ON |
| Providence, RI | Charlottetown, PE |
| Clinton, SC | Montreal, QC |
| Rock Hill, SC | Kisbey, SK |
This year's program theme is Innovations in Park-Based Green Infrastructure. To be eligible for a grant, qualified municipalities must be within TD Bank's footprint in the United States and Canada. Priority is given to projects occurring in underserved communities. The first TD Green Space projects and community engagement events will take place between June and October.
"With more people moving into urban areas, cities are increasingly becoming the heart of where we live, work and play," says Andrea Barrack, TD Bank's Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship. "Green spaces play a critical role in creating more livable cities. Not only do they provide environmental benefits, but they also provide social services and economic benefits to cities and the people within them. "
The TD Green Space Grants program is part of The Ready Commitment, which aims to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy with a target of CDN $100b by 2030 through lending, financing, asset management and other programs. The program falls squarely within The Ready Commitment's Vibrant Planet driver, to help communities grow and enhance green spaces.
"A healthier tree canopy in our cities and towns produces clear benefits for community residents — including improved air quality, captured carbon emissions, and enhanced quality of life," said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation.
The TD Green Space program replaces TD Green Streets, a similar program that was focused on urban forestry. It was launched in Canada in 2010 in partnership with Tree Canada. In the U.S., the TD Green Streets program ran from 2013-2018, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. Over 5,000 trees planted in the U.S. through TD Green Streets.
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