The federal government's "Two Billion Trees Program," hailed as a "huge asset" in 2019 by then-Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, is set to be terminated. The program, which employed 50 federal staff, will conclude after six years and an expenditure of $267.7 million.

"Existing contribution agreements and commitments will be honoured, and uncommitted funds will be returned," stated the finance department in Canada Strong, the much anticipated and overdue federal budget tabled November 4. 

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This follows Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne's "Comprehensive Expenditure Review" aiming for 15% departmental savings over three years.

Feds wind down failed @CathMcKenna 2B trees scheme after 6 years, $258M & work of 50 @NRCan employees: "Everyone laughed at them for this program." https://t.co/kIbnvVktGj #cdnpoli @environmentca pic.twitter.com/RtcdXIYzKZ

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) November 5, 2025

Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin mocked the program's announcement in the Commons, stating, "If everyone laughed at them for this program, it wasn’t because it was a bad program that had to be cut. It was because the Liberals were unable to plant the trees.”

“It’s retreat after retreat after retreat,” he furthered.

Then-Minister McKenna announced the program in the 2019 general election. “Trees are a huge asset, providing shading and cooling,” she said at the time. “Our Party’s commitment to tree planting is an opportunity to get more trees planted where they’re needed most.”

Government contracts and Natural Resources Canada indicate nearly 1 billion trees will be planted. As of June, agreements with provinces, cities, First Nations, and environmental groups totalled 988 million trees, as reported by the National Post.

Natural Resources Canada reported only 228 million trees planted, far short of the two-billion-tree pledge and less than half of what forestry companies plant annually.

READ MORE: https://t.co/AoKgMh2ODH pic.twitter.com/Q2FhOS5ECq

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 2, 2025

The "two billion trees in 10 years" program has fallen short, with only 228 million trees planted at a cost of $267.7 million, far below the projected $5.94 billion expense.

A 2024 internal memo, Two Billion Trees Questions And Answers, revealed that the government's 2019 "Two Billion Trees" pledge was a name to inspire commitment, not an actual target, with the program not launching until 2021.

Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco stated the tree-planting pledge was unlikely to be met. He criticized Natural Resources Canada for inflating numbers with trees from the Low Carbon Economy Fund, a fact then-Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson confirmed.

“It's creative accounting,” DeMarco testified at the Commons natural resources committee on June 13, 2023. “It's certainly within their prerogative to do that.” Ottawa planted 28.9 million trees at the time. He only expected 76.2 million trees by 2030.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to plant two billion trees over the next decade — a promise he is not likely to keep. Environment Commissioner Jerry DeMarco said Cabinet could only plant two billion trees with provincial help.

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— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) June 20, 2023

Critics found the program expensive and superfluous, noting Canada's existing 318 billion trees (Yale School of Forestry) and the 600 million planted annually by forestry companies on Crown land.

Carney’s government has not committed to Canada’s previous 2030 and 2035 emission-reduction targets (40-45% and 45-50% below 2005 levels, respectively). However, it still aims for net-zero emissions by 2050.