Greens' Park Board plan: 5,000 new trees, three Miyawaki forests, lower fees
The Green Party of Vancouver says its Park Board commissioners would remove 5,000 old stumps and plant new trees toward a 30% city-wide tree canopy, start in Strathcona, pilot three Miyawaki forests, and subsidize fees for swimming lessons, field permits and ice rentals.
PARK BOARD · PAGE 48
Urban Ecosystems and Affordable Access: what the Platform 2026 says
The Green Party of Vancouver opens its Park Board platform with trees. The party says its commissioners would keep working toward a tree canopy of 30% across the city, which means trees would cover 30% of the land when seen from above. To get there, the Greens would pull out 5,000 old stumps and plant new trees in their place. The platform names Strathcona as the first neighbourhood to get more trees, and says its canopy stood at 9% in 2022.
The rest of the list covers smaller sites. The Greens would protect community gardens and pollinator corridors, which are chains of planted areas that bees and butterflies use to feed and move across the city. They would restore natural shorelines, with Tatlow Park as the named example, and change old fountains so they reuse water or use less of it. The party would try three Miyawaki forests, small plots planted closely with native trees. New artificial turf fields would get its support only when they also hold rainwater and add habitat.
The second heading on page 48 is about cost. The party says fees for swimming lessons, field permits and ice time should stay within reach of Vancouver families, and it would expand the Leisure Access Program, which gives seniors and low income families cheaper entry to recreation. Most of these steps sit with the Park Board, which runs parks, pools and rinks. The 3-30-300 goal reaches past park borders, so the platform says the board would pursue it together with City Council.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
The party's city-wide tree canopy target
The party's figure, page 48Existing stumps the party would remove and replace with new trees
The party's figure, page 48Strathcona's tree canopy cover as of 2022, according to the platform
The party's figure, page 48Miyawaki forests the party would pilot
The party's figure, page 48The rule the party would pursue: three trees visible from every home, 30 per cent neighbourhood canopy, and green space within 300 metres
The party's figure, page 4811 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Remove 5,000 stumps and replant toward 30% canopy
The Greens would continue progress toward 30% tree canopy cover city-wide by removing 5,000 existing stumps and replacing them with new trees.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board plants and cares for trees in the parks it runs, so commissioners can direct this work and fund it in the board's budget.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
More tree canopy in underserved neighbourhoods, starting with Strathcona
The party would increase tree canopy cover in the neighbourhoods with the fewest trees, starting with Strathcona. The platform says Strathcona had only 9% tree canopy cover as of 2022.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board decides where it plants in the parks it runs, so it can put Strathcona first there.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Protect community gardens and pollinator corridors
The Greens would protect community gardens and pollinator corridors, which are linked planted areas that bees, butterflies and other insects use to feed and move.
- Who has the power
- Park Board Gardens and plantings on park land are under the Park Board's control.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Artificial turf only with rainwater retention and biodiversity
The party would support artificial turf sports fields only when each one is paired with rainwater retention and biodiversity initiatives, meaning features that hold rain on site and add habitat for plants and animals.
- Who has the power
- Park Board Sports fields in parks are built and managed by the Park Board.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Native shoreline improvements and waterfront recreation
The Greens would promote native shoreline improvements, which means restoring the edges of the water with native plants, while providing accessible waterfront recreation areas. The platform names Tatlow Park as an example.
- Who has the power
- Park Board Tatlow Park and the city's beaches are park land run by the Park Board.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Open park land and facilities for community food systems
The party would open up park land and facilities for community food systems. The platform gives no further detail on which sites or programs this would cover.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board decides how its land and buildings are used.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Convert historic fountains to naturalized water features
The Greens would continue to convert historic fountains to circulating or low volume naturalized water features, meaning the water is reused or less of it is used, in a design meant to look natural.
- Who has the power
- Park Board Fountains in parks are Park Board property, so the board can change them.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Pilot three Miyawaki forests
The party would pilot three Miyawaki forests. A Miyawaki forest is a small plot planted closely with many young native trees and shrubs so that it grows into a dense wood.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board can plant these on park land it controls.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Work with City Council on the 3-30-300 rule for every home
The Greens would work with City Council to make the 3-30-300 rule real for every home. The platform defines the rule as three trees visible from each home, 30 per cent tree canopy in each neighbourhood, and green space within 300 metres.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Trees on private lots and the land for new green space depend on Council's zoning and development decisions, so the Park Board cannot meet this goal alone.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Subsidize fees for core activities
The party would subsidize fees for core activities, naming swimming lessons, field permits and ice rentals, so they stay within reach of Vancouver families.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board sets the fees at its pools, rinks and fields, while Council decides how much city money the board gets to cover lower fees.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
Expand and promote the Leisure Access Program (LAP)
The Greens would expand and promote the Leisure Access Program (LAP), which the platform describes as subsidized access to recreation for seniors and low income families.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Leisure Access Program is a Park Board program, so commissioners can decide to expand it.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 48
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about urban ecosystems and affordable access
What is the Vancouver Green Party's tree planting plan for parks?
The Green Party of Vancouver says its Park Board commissioners would remove 5,000 existing stumps and replace them with new trees. The party ties this to a goal of 30% tree canopy cover across the city, and it would also pilot three Miyawaki forests (platform, page 48).
Why do Vancouver's Greens want more trees in Strathcona?
The platform says Strathcona had only 9% tree canopy cover as of 2022. The Greens would start there when adding trees to the neighbourhoods with the fewest, as part of a city-wide target of 30% canopy (platform, page 48).
What is the 3-30-300 rule in the Green Party of Vancouver platform?
The platform defines it as three trees visible from every home, 30 per cent tree canopy in each neighbourhood, and green space within 300 metres. The Green Party of Vancouver says the Park Board would work with City Council to make it true for every home (platform, page 48).
Does the Green Party of Vancouver support artificial turf fields?
The Green Party of Vancouver says it would support artificial turf sports fields only when a field is paired with rainwater retention and biodiversity initiatives. That means the project would also hold rain on site and add habitat for plants and animals (platform, page 48).
Would the Vancouver Greens lower fees for swimming lessons and ice rentals?
The Green Party of Vancouver says it would subsidize fees for core activities such as swimming lessons, field permits and ice rentals so they stay within reach of families. It would also expand and promote the Leisure Access Program for seniors and low income families. The platform gives no dollar amount (platform, page 48).
What is a Miyawaki forest, and how many would the Green Party of Vancouver plant?
A Miyawaki forest is a small plot planted closely with many young native trees and shrubs so that it grows into a dense wood. The Green Party of Vancouver says it would pilot three of them (platform, page 48).
Who has the power to carry out the Greens' plans for park trees and fees?
Most of these commitments sit with the elected Park Board, which runs Vancouver's parks, pools and rinks. The Green Party of Vancouver says the 3-30-300 goal needs work with City Council, which sets zoning for the rest of the city (platform, page 48).
ON THE BALLOT
The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Platform 2026, Green Party of Vancouver (72-page PDF, last updated September 29, 2026) SAYS SO ITSELFGreen Party of Vancouver · pages 48 · published · checked