Front Yard Gardening Approved!
Exciting news! Ottawa City Council’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee has approved key policy updates that allow residents to grow food in their front yards and on residential boulevards. These changes will help to expand urban agriculture and food security in our city, and make it easier for residents to establish new front yard gardens.
What’s Changing?
Residents will be able to:
- Plant food directly in the soil on residential boulevards without permits needed.
- Build permanent raised beds (up to 45 cm tall), as a way to address concerns around soil quality and contamination.
- Use movable containers (to be installed seasonally, and removed for the winter months).
- Replace turf grass with alternative ground covers around fire hydrants, trees, and setbacks.
These changes come thanks to the dedicated efforts of local community members and representatives who spoke up for the right to grow food on public land parcels!
What’s Next and Ongoing?
Stay tuned, as on April 16th – City Council will vote on final approval of these recommendations and more information will then be available. However further advocacy is still needed, and there are still some key pieces on this policy to explore:
- In Fall 2025, city staff will meet with Community Expertise to reflect on the implications of height restrictions from this year’s growing season.
- The Environment Committee will explore considerations on the reduction of chemical pesticides, rodenticides, and herbicides.
- Expanding planting of edible fruit and nut trees through the Trees in Trust program will be further explored by Councillors.
- Delegates also encouraged further use of native plants and deep rooted perennials for use in ditch planting and naturalization projects, to aid in stormwater management and prevent erosion.
This is just the beginning, as further continued advocacy will be key in shaping the future of urban agriculture and community gardens. The support of Ottawa communities is needed to shape long-term land security and backing community gardening on a municipal level.
We appreciate your support and involvement, so stay tuned for more details to come after April 16th!
Have any questions or comments you’d like to share? Send them to communitygardening@justfood.ca!
