Dan Gagné

The Town of Altona has launched its first Urban Forest Management Strategy, aiming to plant approximately 5,000 trees over the next 20 years to increase the community's tree canopy coverage to 15% by 2045. The strategy outlines goals including planting 250 trees annually, increasing tree species diversity for resilience, developing proactive maintenance and monitoring programs, enhancing public education and community tree planting initiatives, and creating future tree protection and planting policies. These efforts are intended to provide benefits such as increased shade, cleaner air, improved stormwater management, wildlife habitat, and more enjoyable public spaces.

The Town of Altona's strategic priorities, identified in 2023, focus on making fiscally responsible decisions through data-driven approaches and sustainable funding models. It also emphasizes practicing good environmental stewardship by reducing environmental impact and improving climate resiliency, alongside reconciliation with the land's original stewards. Preparing for sustainable growth involves ensuring balanced development across industrial, commercial, and residential sectors to meet the increasing need for municipal services.