Who Will Vote For Trees?
In July 2026, Terrasse-Vaudreuil, a small Quebec town, made international headlines. And no, it wasn’t the result of murder and mayhem or a catastrophic flood. The headlines were about a remarkable resolution passed by its town council, making Terrasse-Vaudreuil the
first city in the world to recognize the rights of trees.
The town’s resolution, based on the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights crafted in France
by La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus and author Ricardo Rey, recognizes that trees have
the right to exist, thrive and receive protections under the law.
I was blown away when I heard about it. I was even more impressed when I read the words
of the town’s mayor, Michel Bordeau, who affirmed that trees were not merely the backdrop for his community. They were “indispensable allies for our health, our climate resilience, and our quality of life.”
In other words, trees not only have an inherent right to life but also the right to have their
lives protected because of the extraordinary benefits they provide, from storing carbon and
providing habitat to offsetting heat islands and super-storms.
Needless to say, it’s an idea that is anathema to some and music to the ears of many
others.
That’s because trees, like all elements of the natural world, have been seen historically, and legally, as property - a treasure trove of resources just waiting to be cut down, dug up and exploited. And - surprise, surprise! - those who own land and benefit from “nature as property” don’t want the rules of the game changed.
By contrast, others who support the idea of nature being imbued with inalienable rights
maintain that if a corporation is viewed as an individual under the law, with all the rights
that implies, then why not trees, a river or an entire rainforest? Especially now in an era of
climate chaos and catastrophic nature loss.
The political battle between these two opposing points of view is being waged, in one form or another, at almost every level of government, including the city level.
In fact, here in Winnipeg, it’s playing out right now, during the civic election, as Trees Please
Winnipeg - an organization I belong to - challenges candidates for council and mayor to
sign what we’re calling “The Save the Shade “Pledge.We’re not asking the city to recognize universal tree rights.
What we are asking them to do is everything in their power to protect as many of our mature trees and forests as possible, on both public and private land, because of the essential life-sustaining services they provide to everyone.
And believe me when I say that this isn’t our first go-round on the issue. Ever since the city
adopted its 20 Year Urban Forestry Strategy in 2023, Trees Please has been pushing council
to do what the strategy recommended. That is, enact bylaws governing mature tree
removals and the clear cutting of our riparian and aspen/oak forests on both public and
private land.
And what has the city done? Well, to say it’s been stalling for the past 2 years would be an
understatement. Indeed their most recent reason for doing nothing boils down to council’s
belief that it can’t act to protect trees on private land, unless the province changes the city
charter.
Really? By my reading, the charter clearly states that council and the mayor are responsible for the health, safety and wellbeing of their citizens. It’s also crystal clear about the city’s responsibility for the environmental impact of all development projects.
So, don’t those 2 clauses alone give them the power to enact a private tree bylaw?
Well, as it turns out two similar clauses in Edmonton’s city charter were used to pressure
their council into drafting a private tree bylaw, which is now in the works. And guess what?
Prior to that, Edmonton had been stalling, using the same charter change excuse that our
mayor and council are now using.
This when between 80% to 90% of Winnipeg’s 3 million trees sit on privately owned land
with no protection, and more than 20 other municipalities nationwide already have private
tree bylaws in place to protect their canopies.
So, head over to Trees Please Winnipeg’s website and check out which candidates have
signed our pledge and those who haven’t. Then take a look at the candidate’s broader
platform.
You just might discover that candidates who care about trees are also the ones who care
most about you and your neighbourhood.
Then, on October 28th, vote for trees and candidates who, like the mayor of Terrasse
Vaudreuil, see them not just as a pretty backdrop, but as indispensable allies that protect our health, safety and environment.
Find out more about the Save the Shade pledge campaign and which candidates for mayor and council have signed on at: https://treespleasewinnipeg.com/election-action-2026/
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