Partnership features 10,000 trees at Lactalis Canada’s Winchester site
Lactalis Canada, the Canadian dairy leader behind iconic brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia and a subsidiary of the France-based Lactalis Group, is pleased to announce a new partnership with provincial environmental protection agency South Nation Conservation to implement a large-scale tree-planting project at its Winchester, Ontario site. The project will serve to improve the local environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating habitat where biodiversity can thrive and benefit the community by forming a green space between the plant’s industrial area and the Town, reducing noise and providing a visual canopy.
With a commitment to planting 10,000 trees in 2022 across 12-acres, Lactalis Canada’s Winchester site will now be home to the “Lactalis Canada Winchester Forest” which will house various tree species including Red Pine, White Pine, Black Walnut, White Oak, Bur Oak, Tamarack, and Silver Maple, among others. To celebrate, Lactalis Canada’s Winchester site was pleased to host a special event for employees and their families on Saturday, May 7 which saw each family plant a tree seedling, children’s activities and more.
“As part of Lactalis Canada’s purpose to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians, we are committed to making a positive economic, environmental and social contribution to the communities in which we operate,” said, Mark Taylor, President & CEO of Lactalis Canada. “This tree planting project is just that – a green initiative that supports Lactalis Canada’s commitment to building a sustainable future and empowering our communities.”
Lactalis Canada Winchester is thrilled to partner with South Nation Conservation on this legacy project which will benefit the environment and the community,” said Bruce Shurtleff, Winchester Plant Director, Lactalis Canada. “This past weekend our team came together to plant what will become the Lactalis Canada Winchester Forest.”
“We are pleased to partner with Lactalis Canada on this important planting event, and we’re thrilled to see communities working together to plant trees this spring,” said Caroline Goulet, Forester at South Nation Conservation. “We’re breaking another tree planting record this year by helping to plant over 200,000 trees, of which 10,000 are going into the ground on Lactalis Canada’s property in Winchester, thanks to funding from South Nation Conservation, Lactalis Canada, and Forest Ontario. We look forward to future projects with Lactalis Canada to support community environmental initiatives.”
In addition to this project, in October 2021, Lactalis Canada’s Winchester plant partnered with the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project and Naturaide, a local company that creates native plant havens that benefit birds and pollinators, to plant a one-acre wildflower garden to attract local pollinators – the largest of its kind as part of the Butterflyway Project’s local chapter. In addition, Lactalis Canada completed a multi-million, four-year Wastewater Modernization Project at its Winchester plant that won the first-ever 2021 Canadian Grocer Impact Award in the Sustainability category as it contributed to odour and noise mitigation, 35% reduced electricity consumption, fertilizer production and an enhanced wastewater treatment process at the plant.
About South Nation Conservation
South Nation Conservation has a strong history in watershed management and leadership in applying sustainability practices. As an agency established under the Conservation Authorities Act of Ontario in 1947, SNC has decades of practical experience in protecting our environment and engaging communities. Today, it manages 4,441 km2 of land in Eastern Ontario; employs more than 40 staff; and has lead hundreds of stewardship projects to success.
About Lactalis Canada Inc.
With 140 years of brand heritage, Lactalis Canada (formerly Parmalat Canada) is committed to enriching and nurturing the lives of Canadians by producing nutritious and great tasting dairy products. Named on Forbes 2022 list of Canada’s Best Employers, Lactalis Canada directly employs 4,000 Canadians, supports hundreds of farming families and contributes to the livelihoods of thousands of Canadians who provide essential services to Lactalis Canada’s more than 30 operating sites including 19 manufacturing facilities. The company’s iconic brands include Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, P’tit Québec, Balderson, Cheestrings Ficello, aMOOza!, Astro, siggi’s, Stonyfield, IÖGO, IÖGO nanö, Olympic, Lactantia, Beatrice, Galbani, and Président. Lactalis Canada’s commitment to responsible and sustainable growth has been recognized with the 2021 Canadian Grocer Impact Award for Sustainability and its CDN $2.9 million investment to the communities in which it operates. Lactalis Canada is a subsidiary of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy group, headquartered in Laval, France. For more information, visit www.lactalis.ca.
