Canada commits over $900,000 to Integrity Reforestation for a reforestation project planting 800,000 trees across 450 hectares in Ontario's Ogoki Forest to restore wildfire-impacted ecosystems and caribou habitats. This investment was announced by Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

The funding will support the rehabilitation of ecosystems damaged by wildfires using native species to restore habitats for woodland caribou, moose, and black bears. Additionally, the project will create over 40 tree-planting jobs in the region.

The investment aligns with Canada's broader commitment to habitat restoration and climate action, supporting partnerships with provinces, territories, local communities, organizations, and Indigenous Peoples. The initiative contributes to the federal government's goal of planting two billion trees within the next decade.

As of September 2024, Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements to plant over 716 million trees under the 2 Billion Trees program. The program collaborates with various partners to ensure proper site preparation, species selection, and long-term monitoring of the trees' health through remote sensing.

Minister Jonathan Wilkinson emphasized the importance of trees in cleaning the air, enhancing biodiversity, and combating climate change. Parliamentary Secretary Marc G. Serré and Minister Steven Guilbeault both highlighted the ecological and community benefits of the Ogoki reforestation project.

Integrity Reforestation CEO Matt McKernan acknowledged the vital role of large-scale reforestation in restoring wildfire-impacted land and praised the collaboration between First Nations-led Agoki Development LP, non-profits, and private partners for making the project successful.