Urban Agriculture

• Introduction
• Canadian History
• Canadian Survey
• Riverview Gardens
• Conclusions
• References

Canadian Survey

The city of Vancouver has a long history of urban agriculture as discussed in the war efforts. Today it is home to Canada’s unofficial office of urban agriculture, City Farmer, established in 1978. The metropolitan area currently supports 29 community and allotment gardens, 25 of which are controlled by local community gardening groups. In total there are 2,270 plots, many being relatively small at approximately 100 square feet each. The city’s density and high ethnic populations make these smaller gardens viable in communities where the produce grown is not only a source of food, but also income from the local community markets supported here.

In Toronto, garden societies are overseen and connected by the Toronto Community Garden Network. This city funded organization links 69 urban agriculture projects, including 14 regional allotment gardens and 20 allotment gardens amongst low income housing projects. In total, there are approximately 3600 plots, involving 5000 people. The network provides a weekly newsletter by email, a quarterly newsletter in print, monthly workshops, annual garden tours and a harvest party. Another organizations, such as Grow TOgether, Foodshare and the Green Community Initiative organize annual food drives for the city’s needy, and help purchase lands for new gardens in areas where they are valuable as not only social entities, but as a welcomed lower cost of living.

Montreal is home to the country’s most prolific history and inventory of community gardens. The city’s department of Sports, Recreation and Social Development provides the garden locations, topsoil, soil testing, manure, fencing, water, tools, outdoor furniture, toilets, toolsheds, garbage pick-up and ongoing maintenance. In addition to this, there are also three horticultural animators provided to visit the gardens, work with the garden representatives on maintenance issues, plot distribution, and general gardening inquiries. Of the 100 community gardens on the island of the Montreal Urban Community, 72 are run by the city with 6400 allotment plots. In total there are roughly 10,000 allotments involving about 13,000 people. The waiting list for city run allotments is 25% of its membership, with a drop out rate of only 10%. This means that the city could build 12 new gardens based on the current demand. The commitment to the gardens is clear. Most gardens are not derelict urban sites, but rather located in public parks where the future of the allotments is relatively secure, and 13 of the gardens are actually zoned ‘community gardening’. Where gardens are threatened by development, efforts have been made. During the years of 1986-89, the city relocated 12 gardens at a cost of over $400,000 where new developments occurred.

Winnipeg’s short growing season and relatively high standard of living suggests that community gardens would be a low priority. Despite this, a strong number of community allotment gardens exist well within the city limits. Unlike the other Canadian cities studied though, allotments are administered not only by the city and local gardening societies, but also by a local utility company. There are between 580 and 630 plots in use in the city currently, with Manitoba Hydro overseeing roughly 350 of those beneath their power lines. Three separate sites in the city are quite successful, although somewhat vulnerable. The utility reserves the right to access the towers for maintenance no matter what the cost to the gardens. Also, composting and onsite water conservation is prohibited due to liability concerns. And ultimately, the gardens are vulnerable to recent developments, such as golf courses and commercial parking lots. The remaining 250 plots are leased from the city’s department of Athletic Facilities and Park Booking Services to three local garden societies. The Charleswood Horticultural Society near the perimeter bridge maintains about 30 plots. The St. James Horticultural Society has been gardening since the second world war, with about 100 plots, and the Riverview Community Garden has a long history with the area’s hospital, also with about 100 plots.

Community Allotments perCapita (x1000)

• Montreal
• Vancouver
• Winnipeg
• Toronto