Surrey awarded $24,500 TD Green Space Grant for innovative urban forestry initiative

THE City of Surrey has been selected for a $24,500 TD Green Space Grant from TD Bank Group (TD) and the Arbor Day Foundation to support an innovative urban greening and tree planting project at Newton Pond Park. The City of Surrey is one of 20 U.S. and Canadian cities selected to receive a grant.  

“Surrey’s abundance of natural green spaces is a major factor why more and more people are choosing to make Surrey their home,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum. “I want to thank TD Bank Group and the Arbor Day Foundation for the grant that will be put to good use in restoring and enhancing an important green space in one of Surrey’s most vibrant town centres.”  

The funds will be allocated towards a habitat restoration project at Newton Pond Park, an important green space within Newton town centre, which is being stewarded by Surrey’s Natural Areas Partnership (SNAP). The project launched with a training session where the summer SNAP team worked with professional biologists to identify and document plants and wildlife found in the park.  

“Green spaces play a critical role in creating more vibrant and livable cities. Not only do they provide environmental benefits, but they also provide social, health and economic benefits to cities and the people within them,” said Andrea Barrack, Global Head of Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship, TD. “We are proud to work with the Arbor Day Foundation to support innovative community programs in cities including the City of Surrey that are striving to create a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.”  

“Our goal with this grant program is to help communities not only enrich their green spaces but also enrich lives,” said Dan Lambe, President, Arbor Day Foundation. “We are supporting the City of Surrey in its effort to build awareness about the benefits of trees, educate residents on proper tree care, and lay the groundwork for a greener future.”  

“The TD Green Space Grant is helping support our youth and our urban forest, which are key to our vision of being a thriving, green and inclusive community,” said McCallum. “The funds will be used for skill development of this year’s cohort of Surrey’s Natural Areas Partnership employment program, who are working on a number of important natural area projects including wildlife habitat restoration at Newton Pond Park.”  

TD provides funding for the grants, which are awarded annually for tree planting, maintenance costs and educational activities. The program is administered by the Arbor Day Foundation. TD Green Space Grants are made possible as part of the TD Ready Commitment, TD’s global corporate citizenship platform, aimed at opening doors to a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.   

To be eligible for a grant, qualified municipalities must be located within TD’s operating footprint in the United States and Canada. Priority was given to projects occurring in underserved areas of local communities. For municipalities applying within the U.S., preference was given to currently recognized Tree City USA communities or those interested in becoming a Tree City USA community over the next calendar year.  

Grant recipients this year are:  

 United States:  

·       Burlington, Vermont 

·       East Providence, Rhode Island 

·       Greenville, South Carolina  

·       Hartford, Connecticut 

·       Jacksonville, Florida 

·       Newburgh, New York 

·       New Castle, Delaware 

·       Orlando, Florida 

·       Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

·       Queens, New York 

 

Canada:  

·       Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador 

·       Milton, Ontario 

·       Mississauga, Ontario 

·       Montreal, Quebec 

·       Montreal, Quebec 

·       Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia 

·       New Westminster, British Columbia 

·       Regina, Saskatchewan 

·       Surrey, British Columbia 

·       Toronto, Ontario 

 

About Surrey’s Natural Areas Partnership (SNAP) 

SNAP is an innovative partnership between the City of Surrey and three local non-profit organizations (Green Timbers Heritage Society, Sunnyside Acres Heritage Society and White Rock and Surrey Naturalists Society). Now in its 21st year, SNAP provides job opportunities for local post-secondary students and recent graduates to carry out habitat restoration, tree care and community outreach activities in Surrey’s parks and neighbourhoods. Participants gain valuable hands-on employment experience to help build their future careers and become leaders in the environmental field. For more information visit, surrey.ca/snap