Toronto Low-Canopy Neighbourhood Greening Initiative

Research and Resources

• American Forests’ Tree Equity Score Analyzer (TESA): Discover how human-centered tree plantings can improve health and well-being in Toronto’s neighbourhoods.
• CBC News “In cities, money doesn’t grow on trees, but more trees grow near money”: There’s a strong correlation between low-income areas and few trees.
• Nature Canada:
  • Canada’s Urban Forests: Bringing the Canopy to All report shows who has (and doesn’t have) access to the urban treescape and provides recommendations on how to improve that access.
  • Race and Nature in the City: Engaging youth of colour in nature-based activities. By Jacqueline L. Scott & Ambika Tenneti
• Park Perceptions and Racialized Realities: a community-based participatory research project that explores the experiences of racialized and Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) in public greenspaces in two under-resourced Toronto neighbourhoods, Jane and Finch and St. James Town.
• Vibrant Cities Lab: Community Action Guide to build a community-driven process to advance Tree Equity.

Other Organizations

• Black Creek Community Farm: urban agricultural centre that engages, educates, and empowers diverse communities, through sustainable food.
• Black Environmental Alliance: aims to harness, amplify and reinforce the skills of Black environmental professionals to champion, build community and pursue environmental justice.
• Downsview Park: Discover the wonders of the great outdoors with Downsview Park’s knowledgeable education team!
• Green Neighbours Network (GNN) of Toronto: a grassroots community network of people and groups helping to make neighbourhoods across the City of Toronto and GTA greener, healthier, and more sustainable.
• Green Ummah: Envision a Canadian Muslim community fully engaged in building a green future
• The Stop: strives to increase access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and challenges inequality.
• Taiaiako'n Historical Preservation Society: an Indigenous led group working to protect sacred sites in High Park.
• Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers: aim to provide food security, improve urban biodiversity and environmental education through community engagement.
• Toronto Black Farmers and Food Growers Collective: seeks to foster sustainable community development by improving community lead initiatives and supporting local farmers and products.
• Toronto Nature Stewards: support the ecological restoration of ravines and natural areas by picking up litter, removing invasive plants, planting native species, and monitoring the environmental impact of stewardship activities.
• Turtle Protectors Mishiikenh Gizhaasowin: an Indigenous guided stewardship program that advocates, supports and protects our Turtle relatives living within some city parks in Tkaronto while embracing all of our kin!