Toronto neighbourhood is planting 5k new trees and 2 million plants

Though the area may not look the most alluring or exciting right now, Toronto's Port Lands are in the midst of the most massive revamp of any neighbourhood in the city, which will include new parks, a new river and an entire new island community.

The impetus behind the work is not only for the benefit of the city's residents but also the environment, with a new route currently being carved for the Don River to help protect hundreds of hectares of land from damaging flooding each year.

Many are on board with the $1.25 billion project, from condo developers to Waterfront Toronto, which is behind the massive undertaking to revitalize the very underutilized part of the city.

Along with diverting the river from its unnatural path and creating new public green spaces and wetlands, WaterfrontTO plans to refresh the industial area with a whole lot of plant life.

5,000 trees. 77,000 shrubs. Over 2 million new herbaceous plants. Here’s how we’re expanding the Don River’s ecological corridor and connecting the ravine system to the lake. https://t.co/ydkoS7uQvO pic.twitter.com/5aiy1uUmyE

— Waterfront Toronto (@WaterfrontTO) April 12, 2021

In total, the organization has vowed to plant 5,000 new trees, 77,000 new shrubs, and more than two million new herbaceous plants, which will provide habitats for tons of species of animals in the area, connect the waterfront to more forested ravine lands further north along the river, and also better connect citizens to nature.

With parks already teeming with people this early in the season, it's obvious that more green space in more parts of the city is much needed for us to enjoy the few months of warm weather that we are gifted each year.

And some beautification of the bleak-looking Port Lands would be an added benefit to what is already a transformational endeavour that is undoing the damage that was done when the river's connection to Lake Ontario was tampered with in the first place.