Today, the Town of Conception Bay South announced that it has received a $25,000 TD Green Space Grant from TD Bank Group (TD) and the Arbor Day Foundation, to support innovative urban greening and tree planting projects.

The Town plans to use the grant to launch a community urban forest expansion program, and to install an educational rain garden at Manuels River, in partnership with the Conservation Corps of Newfoundland & Labrador, Manuels River, and the CBS Community Garden. The urban forest expansion program will see over 200 trees provided to residents for planting in residential and community spaces. Conception Bay South is one of 20 U.S. and Canadian cities selected to receive a grant.

“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 Town of Conception Bay South, 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 Conception Bay South 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.”

“Conception Bay South is ideally located just steps away from nature, and opportunities such as the TD Green Space Grant, help us work towards preserving our green spaces for years to come. Projects such as those included in this program align with the objectives of our Climate Change Adaptation Plan, and further our continued efforts to help limit the effects of climate change.” said Mayor Terry French. “We are very excited to see residents, and community groups, get involved with our planned projects, including the rain garden and urban forest expansion.”

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. In addition to the Town of Conception Bay South, other 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:

• Milton, Ontario
• Mississauga, Ontario
• Montreal, Quebec
• Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia
• New Westminster, British Columbia
• Regina, Saskatchewan
• Surrey, British Columbia
• Toronto, Ontario

For more information, visit arborday.org/programs/tdgreenspacegrants.

About the Arbor Day Foundation: Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. Their vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger.

About TD Global Corporate Citizenship: TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $750 million*) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through the TD Ready Commitment, the bank aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit www.td.com/tdreadycommitment.