Council Meeting/Documents/Appendix 1: Disaggregated Summary of Canopy Cover and Urban Forest Program Resourcing
Appendix
Appendix 1: Disaggregated Summary of Canopy Cover and Urban Forest Program Resourcing
A peer comparison table (Table 2) detailing urban forest program design, budgets, and canopy targets across several municipalities including View Royal, Langford, and Victoria.
View Royal Urban Forestry Program Budget (2024): $363,000View Royal Canopy Cover (2023): 60% (29% urban)Target new annual municipal tree planting rate (View Royal): 190 (30%)Urban Forest program budget per capita in View Royal: $31
Appendix 1 Disaggregated Summary of Canopy Cover and Urban Forest Program Resourcing
Table 2. Peer comparison of urban forest program operational design and resourcing.
| Context | VIEW ROYAL | LANGFORD | VICTORIA | GIBSONS | OAK BAY | COURTENAY | COMOX | NORTH VANCOUVER (CITY) | PORT MOODY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population & Tax Base (2021) | 11,500 | 56,500 | 92,000 | 4,750 | 18,000 | 28,500 | 14,750 | 58,000 | 33,500 |
| Population density (people/km2) | 800 | 1,400 | 4,700 | 1,100 | 1,700 | 900 | 900 | 4,900 | 1,300 |
| Land area (km2) | 14 | 41 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 32 | 17 | 12 | 26 |
| Canopy Cover | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2021 | 2015 | 2018 | 2025 | 2021 | 2019 |
| Canopy Cover | 60% (29% urban) | 48% | (30% urban) | 38% (30% urban) | (33% urban) | 33% (25% urban) | (25% urban) | (20% urban) | 58% (28% urban*) |
| Canopy Cover Target (Years) | (30 - 40% urban) (2025 - 2045) | 40 - 45% (2024 - 2050) | (40% urban) (2026 - 2050) | (31% urban) (2025 - 2045) | (36 - 40% urban) (2017 - 2045) | 34% - 40% (21% - 34% urban) (2019 - 2050) | (26% urban) (2025 - 2055), (30% urban) (2025 - 2085)iii | (24% urban) (2025 - 2045), (30% urban) (2025 - 2065) | 59% (31% urban) (2019 - 2050) |
| Canopy % Difference | (1% to 11% urban) | -3% to -8% | (10% urban) | (1% urban) | (3% to 7% urban) | 1% to 7% (-4% to 9% urban) | (1% urban) (2055), (5% urban) (2085) | (4% urban) | 1% (3% urban) |
| Land Use Area (%) | Right-of-ways: 24% Residential & Large Lot Residential: 33% Mixed Residential: 12% Park: 9% Institutional: 7% Mixed Use: 5% Commercial: 4% Hospital Transit Oriented: 4% Rural: 1% |
Parks & Open Space: 25% Hillside & Shorelines: 29% Neighbourhood: 15% Right-of-ways: 11% Business & Light Industrial: 5% Mixed Use Employment Centre: 4% City Centre: 4% Agricultural: 2% Neighbourhood Centre: 2% Village Centre: 2% |
- | Residential (Low): 28% Residential (Medium & High): 11% Roads: 18% Mixed use (urban): 10% Greenbelt & Natural Open Space: 5% Public & Community Uses: 6% Rural & Agriculture: 6% Park & Recreation: 2% Schools & Fields: 3% Service Commercial: 3% Other: 2% |
Established Neighbourhoods: 39% Right-of-ways: 19% Uplands: 11% Community Institutional: 11% Commercial & Mixed Use: 10% Parks & Open Space: 8% Multi-Unit Residential: 2% |
Residential: 23% Agriculture: 20% Rural, Multi-use: 17% Public: 12% Rural, Residential: 8% Golf Course: 6% Commercial: 5% High-Density: 3% Multi-use: 2% Industrial, Light: 2% Commercial, Large: 1% Rail: 1% Industrial, Heavy: 1% |
Airport: 36% Residential (Low Density): 26% Right-of-ways: 12% Parks & Open Space: 9% Residential (Medium to High Density): 5% Agricultural: 4% Mixed Use: 4% Institutional: 3% Light Industrial: 2% Other: 1% |
Residential: 39% Right-of-ways: 25% Parks, Recreation & Open Space: 12% Mixed Use: 10% Industrial: 8% School & Institutional: 3% Commercial: 2% |
Parks & Open Space: 47% General Industrial: 17% Single Family Low Density: 21% Multi-Family Residential: 7% Mixed Use: 4% Public & Institutional: 3% Industrial Business: 1% |
| Program | 2024 | 2024 | 2026 | 2024 | 2017 | 2018 | 2024 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Urban Forestry Program Budget (CAD) | $363,000 | $626,800 | $3,533,000 | $57,000 | $724,000 | $310,000 | $120,000 | $1,010,000 | $538,000 |
| Planting/Replacement Budget (CAD) | $17,500 | $100,000 | - | - | $38,000 | $103,500 | $20,000 | $138,000 | $15,000 |
| Natural Areas Budget (CAD) | $43,000 | - | $126,000 | - | - | - | - | $154,000 | - |
| Program Budget $ per capita (CAD) | $31 | $11 | $38 | $12 | $40 | $11 | $8 | $17 | $16 |
| Dedicated urban forestry staff (FTE) | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Current average annual municipal tree planting rate (caliper only) | 40 | 200 | 375 | - | 125 | - | - | - | 50 |
| Target new annual municipal tree planting rate (caliper only) | 190 (30%) 620 (35%) 1415 (40%) |
- | - | 110 | 200 | 165 | 115 | 670 | 275 |
| Target annual private tree planting rate (caliper only) | 830 (30%) 1440 (35%) 2100 (40%) |
- | - | 25 | 330 | 285 (34%) 565 (40%) |
100 | 890 | 825 |
iii The Town of Comox’s Urban Forest Management Strategy and associated canopy cover targets have yet to be formally adopted by Council.
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Extracted from: 2026 03 17 Council Meeting - Agenda - Pdf(160 pages total)