There's a 'little green revolution' underway in Montréal-Nord

In the last three and a half years, the Éconord Solidarity Co-op in Montréal-Nord has planted more than 1,500 trees in the borough, free of charge.

The non-profit group partnered with the borough to coordinate the giving away of all these saplings to residents and business owners who would take them.

It's all part of what Julie Demers calls "our little green revolution."

Demers, the executive director of Éconord, told CBC Montreal's Let's Go that it's all part of an effort to combat urban heat islands in the district.

"There's so much talk about climate change, so much talk about how we need to reduce the heat islands that we live in [and] keep our cities cooler," she said.

The first year of the initiative, the group gave away 150 trees.

After that, "it just took off like crazy."

Éconord got the word out and went canvassing door-to-door in the borough, explaining that if homeowners wanted a tree planted on their property, all they had to do was ask.

First, team members do an evaluation of the property and offer a choice of tree species before making the delivery. Once the tree is planted, a landscape architect explains to the new owner how to take care of the tree as it grows.

Demers says now people are starting to approach Éconord directly asking for trees, including businesses with large lots where multiple trees can be put in.

Find out more about how to get a tree and contact the organization here.