• National charity Forests Canada is dedicated to conserving, restoring, and growing Canada's forests.
• The organization's proven approach to large-scale restoration, specialized expertise in forest recovery efforts, and trusted partnerships help strengthen the long-term health and resilience of Canada's forest landscapes.

TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- To help Canada's forests better face the growing pressures of increasing wildfires, biodiversity loss, and extreme weather events, national charity Forests Canada and U-Haul® are launching a multi-year, national partnership called Healthy Forests for Future Generations.

The partnership will make it easy for U-Haul customers across Canada to support the conservation, restoration, and growth of Canada's forests through donations at checkout. Funds raised will directly support Forests Canada's forest restoration work in urban and near-urban communities from coast to coast to coast.

"Canada's forests do so much for us from both an environmental and an economic standpoint, and we know that the vast majority of Canadians view forests as a vital part of our national identity," Jess Kaknevicius, Chief Executive Officer, Forests Canada, says. "We applaud U-Haul for standing up for Canada's forests and hope that they inspire others to do so, too."

Over the last two decades, Forests Canada has completed nearly 11,000 restoration projects that have supported the planting of over 54 million trees across the country, helping to create and connect more than one million hectares of forest landscapes. These thriving forests do more than support biodiversity and critical wildlife habitats – they help clean our air and water; foster healthier, more resilient communities; and provide lasting benefits for future generations.

During that time, Forests Canada has built a diverse and specialized network – from seed collectors and nurseries to field advisors and planting delivery partners – who work together behind the scenes to provide a seamless, trusted experience from seed to survival. It is this proven model of forest restoration through collaboration that inspired the partnership between Forests Canada and U-Haul.  

"As a shared-use, sustainable mobility company, we recognize that moving has an environmental impact. Our network of independent neighborhood dealers helps reduce vehicle miles traveled, congestion and emissions, and we're proud to partner with Forests Canada, giving customers a direct way to support tree-planting efforts in Canada," John "J.T." Taylor, President, U-Haul International, says. "Together with Forests Canada and our customers, we're committed to helping build healthier, more resilient forests and stronger communities for the long term."

Customers at participating Canadian U-Haul locations and independent dealers will soon have the opportunity to make a voluntary donation at checkout, with all funds supporting Forests Canada's national forest restoration initiatives. Landowners interested in learning more about Forests Canada's Tree Planting Program can visit www.ForestsCanada.ca/PlantTrees.

About Forests Canada

Forests Canada is a national charity working to conserve, restore, and grow Canada's forests to sustain life and communities. With interactive education programs inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards, and high-quality forest recovery efforts supporting local jobs and economies, we have proudly built the infrastructure and network needed to help ensure the greatest possible outcomes for Canada's forests from coast to coast to coast.

Learn how you can get involved today. Visit www.ForestsCanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn to find out more.

About U-Haul

Founded in 1945, U-Haul is the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers with more than 25,000 rental locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The U-Haul app makes it easy for customers to use U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 to access trucks anytime through the self-dispatch and -return options on their smartphones with our patented Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 207,600 trucks, 136,500 trailers and 43,200 towing devices. U-Haul, which offers rate transparency to self-storage customers through its 1-Year Price Lock, is the third largest storage operator in North America with 1,147,300 rentable storage units and 100.3 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. U-Haul is the top retailer of propane in the U.S. and the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. Get the U-Haul app from the App Store or Google Play.

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SOURCE Forests Canada