Toronto plants its first Tree of the Year today — a sugar maple the city's kids picked

By The Canadian Chronicle · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Community · Toronto · The Canadian Chronicle

Published Tuesday, November 3, 2026 · 2 min read

Toronto plants its first Tree of the Year this morning. The City is holding a celebration at Elm Park today, Tuesday, November 3, at 10 a.m., to plant a sugar maple chosen by the city's children and youth.

How the tree was picked

The sugar maple was chosen as Toronto's 2027 Tree of the Year during Kids Vote Weekend, held as part of the 2026 municipal election. More than 10,000 ballots were cast.

Kids Vote Weekend is a City program that introduces children to local democracy. It gives them an early look at the voting process, from marking a ballot to seeing a result carried out.

The planting

The celebration takes place at Elm Park, 230 Gosford Blvd. Members of the public are invited to attend alongside the media.

The City notes the event will be cancelled if there is a high chance of a thunderstorm or other hazardous weather.

The canopy goal

The Tree of the Year initiative also supports the City's goal for the urban forest. Toronto is working toward a 40 per cent tree canopy by 2050.

The City's Tree of the Year page carries the full program details for residents who want to follow this year's pick and the plantings that come with it.