Community ReGreening program
Funding for community planting projects
Our Community ReGreening program supports the planting of trees and other vegetation that help enhance ecological networks across the province. The program also helps to ensure the right trees are planted near our power lines.
Our regreening grants fund small-scale community planting projects and are open to all municipal and Indigenous Nations' governments within BC Hydro's service area.
The application intake for 2025 grant funding is open from November 1, to January 31, 2025. All applicants will be advised of their application status in April 2025.
What are the benefits of regreening?
We fund planting projects to help:
- Enhance open space
- Restore and improve urban canopies
- Beautify parks and outdoor recreation areas
- Bring the community together to create natural habitats and support environmental stewardship action
- Diversify and enhance urban forests
- Support Indigenous cultural practices
- Promote and educate the community about sustainability practices and water conservation landscaping
About the program
We provide financial support up to $10,000 per applicant to purchase trees and other vegetation for small-scale community planting projects.
We help fund the purchase of plants and shipping costs where appropriate. Applicants are responsible for labour and ongoing maintenance of their project. Grant funding is disbursed to the applicant after the successful completion of the project and the final report is approved.
Our program funds a wide variety of projects:
- Street or park trees that won't interfere with electrical equipment
- Trees and other vegetation for habitat restoration or enhancement
- Plants for pollinator gardens
- Plants of cultural significance to Indigenous Nations (qualifying plants are at the discretion of the applying Nation, so long as plants' mature height meet our requirements if planted in proximity to power lines)
- Wetland restoration – new
We can’t accept applications for projects that:
- Are outside BC Hydro’s service area
- Are already underway
- Benefit an individual, private organization, or company
- Are used for commercial purposes
- Purchasing cost of trees and other vegetation
- Shipping costs, in some cases, where appropriate
- Supplies including mulch, stakes, and water bags (up to a maximum of 15% of project costs)
Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The landscaping plan including the type of vegetation
- The project profile, visibility, and community support
- The benefits of the project such as recreation, wildlife habitat restoration or site beautification
- Educational opportunities to share information about environmental benefits of trees and vegetation
- The overall site and implementation plan or land dedication
- Sustainability and ongoing maintenance of vegetation
- Other funding and community partners involved
- Preference will be given to trees and vegetation that are native to B.C.
Important: If planting near power lines, preference will be given to plant species native to B.C. that meet our height and distance restrictions.
Who can apply?
Municipal governments and Indigenous Nations within BC Hydro's service area are eligible to apply.
There's a limit of one funded project per applicant, per year. A project can have multiple locations or sites.
Final reports must be submitted by December 31 of the current year to be considered completed in that year. Applicants with incomplete regreening projects are not eligible for new funding requests.
How to apply
The application intake for 2025 grant funding closes on January 31, 2025. All applicants will be advised of their application status by April 2025.
With your application you'll need to include:
- A site plan that shows the proposed planting for your project. We accept plans drawn on a civic map or Google map.
- A plant list that includes the mature height and planting zone for each of the selected species.
- If available, nursery pricing quote(s) for purchasing vegetation. This information is optional, but helpful in project evaluations.
- A letter of permission from the property owner as required based on land ownership.
Applicants selected for grant funding can complete the project in any way they choose (working in partnership with a local community group(s) or other) but the applicant is required to:
- Agree and adhere to the program terms and conditions [PDF, 46 KB]
- Submit a final report upon completion of the project that includes:
- A selection of photos showing sites before and after installation
- Eligible supplier invoice(s)
- Official invoice from your finance department, matching submitted supplier receipts, up to the maximum approved grant amount. Invoice addressed to BC Hydro Community ReGreening program, 333 Dunsmuir Street 15th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5R3
Report deadlines and grant payment processing
Once your final report requirements have been approved, the grant payment will be processed and released.
This year, we're offering two submission deadlines: an early deadline of August 1, 2025, or a final deadline of December 31, 2025. Applicants can expect grant payments within four to six weeks of these dates.
Final reports must be submitted by December 31, 2025 to be considered completed in 2025.
Program timeline overview
| TIMELINE | ACTIVITY |
|---|---|
| November 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025 | Applications accepted |
| February 2025 to March 2025 | Applications reviewed |
| April 2025 | All applicants advised of their application status |
| August 1, 2025 | Early deadline for final report submission |
| September 2025 | Grant payments issued to approved, early-deadline applicants that have met all program requirements |
| December 31, 2025 | Final deadline for report submission |
| February 2026 | Grant payments issued to approved applicants that have met all program requirements |