Town considers tree canopy in plans to increase density to accomodate 50,000 new residents; Ajax, Ontario, Canada

newsdurhamregion.com Ajax plans for almost 50,000 more residents:
Part of deciding where and how to grow for Ajax involves ensuring the environment is protected.
'It's not just the trees and the creeks and the fish, it's the built environment as well, the heritage environment,' said Mr. Muller.
This includes protecting heritage districts such as Pickering Village.
The Town's goals include reducing local greenhouse gas emissions by building more energy and water efficient buildings and increasing the tree canopy. The tree canopy also helps mitigate the urban heat island effect where heavily paved areas are hotter than natural areas. Another option is encouraging green roofs and white roofs which reflect heat, said Stev Andis, senior policy planner for the Town.