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Ontario: The Ontario government has announced a total of 117,000 trees will be planted along the Highway of Heroes over the next five years, one for each Canadian soldier that has died in the line of duty since Confederation.
The project, which is being done in partnership with Forests Ontario, will see the trees planted along Highway 401 between Glen Miller Road in Trenton and Keele Street in Toronto.
The stretch of highway was officially dubbed the Highway of Heroes in 2007 for its significance as the final route for fallen soldiers as their bodies are taken from Trenton to the Coroner’s office in Toronto.
“The benefits of this partnership are twofold. It allows us to honour the men and women who have given their lives in service of our country. At the same time, it allows us to continue the greening of our highways for healthier communities and a lasting legacy for future generations,” Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said in a press release announcing the project.
According to the press release, Forests Ontario will begin planting the trees in the spring. To mark the beginning of the project a ceremonial tree will be planted at Canadian Forces Base Trenton where the Highway of Heroes begins and outside the Coroner’s office on Keele Street where the route ends.
In the press release, York Centre MPP Monte Kwinter said the hope is that the trees will remind “those traveling the highway of the great appreciation and respect we owe those who fought and sacrificed for our country.”
