The last economic statement refers to amounts of more than $3 billion over the next 10 years for reforestation and $2 billion for trees across Canada. We think those amounts are an ambitious way to get there. Forest producers will take part in reforestation, and they're are satisfied with the amounts that will be made available to them.
We want the program criteria to allow private forest producers to benefit from this measure. This program should be used to reforest areas that have poorly regenerated.
As you know, eastern Canada has an epidemic of spruce budworm, which is the worst defoliating insect in North America. It's devastating forests, and we're in the midst of an epidemic.
Program criteria should provide forest producers with plants so they can restore production in forests that will be devastated and where trees will emit carbon shortly after they die.
As regards more specific measures that should be introduced on the ground, I think the most effective way to deploy the program in private forests across Canada is to establish partnerships with provincial governments so we can rely on existing channels, in particular the forestry advisors and people who already know how to deploy similar provincial programs. They already exist, and this new funding is welcome. We should rely on those programs.