Growing Change: Front Yard Gardening Gets the Go-Ahead in Ottawa!
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!
Residential Boulevard Bylaw Updates coming March 27th
City Staff are presenting proposed updates to the Use and Care of Roads Bylaw at this coming Thursday’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee Meeting to address growing food in the residential boulevard.
In preparation for this meeting, Peoples Official Plan Plant Strategy Working Group met last week to discuss a collective approach to our asks for this bylaw update.
Here are the 5 key updates we are still seeking as part of this bylaw update:
- Increase plant height restrictions to allow for greater selection and varieties of plants grown in the residential boulevard, while still respecting safe sightlines.
- In setback areas, restrict plant height (recommended to 60cm) instead of restricting plant type (i.e. allow for plants other than turfgrass).
- Restrict the use of chemicals in the residential boulevard.
- Provide a mechanism by which residents can plant their own trees in the residential boulevard, with an approval process; increase variety of trees offered through Trees in Trust.
- Decrease setbacks for permanent structures/non-moveable containers where there’s no sidewalk from 1.5m to 1.0m
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
We recorded the presentation from March 18th Click here to view [approx 30 mins]
Can you take any of these next steps to support residents growing food in their residential boulevard?
1) E-mail your City Councillor:
- Use this e-mail template to send to your City Councillor before March 26th
- Find your City Councillor’s information here
2) Share widely!
- Get your circles mobilized to send letters of their own!
4) Looking for more detail?
- Check out these documents for additional information:
- a) Residential Boulevard Bylaw Update: Requested Changes
b) “Why I care” – prepared by Nadine O, for inspiration
- a) Residential Boulevard Bylaw Update: Requested Changes
5) Have questions or need support?
- E-mail communitygardening@justfood.ca with:
– any questions or comments you have
– details if you have set a meeting with your Councillor
– if you are interested to sign up as a delegate on March 27th
– request for support on writing letters, delegating, speaking to Councillors, etc
We have come so far and can win this!
Please share amongst your circles and spread the message far and wide!
Resident Meeting March 18 2025: Garden Boulevard Bylaw Update
This meeting, brought to you by the Peoples’ Official Plan Plant Strategy Working Group, with this policy piece led by For Our Kids Ottawa/Gatineau and Just Food, is your chance to get involved!
March 18th, 7:30 pm – 8:30pm via Zoom
Click Here to Register
Call for your feedback on proposed changes to bylaws
The City of Ottawa is updating a bylaw that will affect how you can grow food in your residential boulevard (the front of your front yard).
- Removing the existing prohibition on growing food in the residential boulevard
- Allowing moveable containers within the residential boulevard on a seasonal basis
- Requiring residents to sign an online letter of acknowledgement for growing food in the residential boulevard
What’s still missing from these updates:
- Allow residents to use soil retaining structures (i.e. raised beds, soil retaining walls)
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- All residential homes in Ottawa should be allowed to have non-removeable, low to the ground, permanent beds using long-lasting materials (i.e. wood, large stone, etc) to retain healthy soil to grow plants, including food
- There are thousands upon thousands of homes that already have raised beds (not just containers) and retaining walls in their front yards, including in the boulevard
- Snow plows are already managing to clear sidewalks and roads where these structures have already existed for many decades
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Additional recommendations:
- Allow residents to plant their own trees in the boulevard
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- Planting fruit/sap/nut trees in the boulevard at the residents’ expense, given the limited variety of trees from the Trees in Trust Program
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- Develop a clear outreach strategy for communications
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- A clear plan for communications that will include a letter when the bylaw is passed
- Ensure materials are available in multiple languages
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- Update height measurements for objects farther than 1m away from the road/curb
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- For yards that have larger residential boulevards, height restrictions should be increased for areas that are past 1m away from the curb/road/sidewalk, to allow greater flexibility in plant options and biodiversity while not impacting sight lines
To let the City know why you think this is important:
Click here to fill out this survey now!
Before Dec 31st, 2024
Background information:
Last year, Ottawa’s City Council passed amendments to the Use and Care of Roads By-law (By-law No. 2003-498) which allowed residents to plant gardens within the right-of-way, but did not allow for growing food. Through community efforts and advocacy, City Council directed staff to return with an updated plan to review allowing food to be grown in the right-of-way. For more information on this background, click here.
What is the Residential Boulevard?
The residential boulevard, also known as the right-of-way, is the City-owned parcel that is part of every property owner’s land, to allow for utilities, road/sidewalk maintenance, etc.
To view the right-of-way on your property, visit GeoOttawa here, enter your address, and click this icon in the top right corner.
Fill out this survey by December 31st, 2024 at 11:59pm!
Please share this survey far and wide within your networks and community. Everyone’s voice matters.
Questions? Please reach out to info@justfood.ca or communitygardening@justfood.ca.
November 17th, 2024 – Sourdough 101: From Starter to Loaf
Attention: This workshop is now FULL.
If you would like to put your name on the waiting list, please send an email to communitygardening@justfood.ca. We will contact you if a spot becomes available for this workshop.
Curious about what makes sourdough bread so uniquely delicious? Are you ready to dive into the world of wild yeast and fermentation?
Join us at the Just Food Community Farm on Sunday, November 17th for an afternoon of sourdough basics with facilitator Anjali Wildgen. This hands-on workshop will provide you with everything you need to start baking your very own delicious sourdough bread at home! Throughout this session, Anjali will teach the basics of maintaining a successful sourdough starter, as well as mixing, proofing, shaping, scoring, and baking a sourdough loaf.
All participants will take away their very own sourdough loaf to bake at home, as well as some sourdough starter and a rattan proofing basket to help you continue on your sourdough journey!
Snacks and beverages will be provided.
Tickets are $100 per person
Click here to register and claim your spot!
This workshop has a maximum capacity of 12 participants.
The deadline to register for this workshop is Wednesday, November 13th at 11:59PM EST.
All materials and take-home items will be provided through the workshop fee of $100.
If you have any questions about this workshop, please send an email to communitygardening@justfood.ca
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The Just Food Community Farm is located at 2391 Pepin Court, near Blackburn Hamlet.
Free parking is available on site. The farm is also accessible by bus routes #25 and #28.
Click here for directions on how to get to the Just Food Community Farm by car, public transit, or bike!
Accessibility Notes:
This workshop will be taking place in the catering kitchen, located on the second floor of the big red barn at the Just Food Community Farm. The barn is accessible and is equipped with a motorized lift and accessible washrooms.
If you have any additional questions on accessibility, please contact communitygardening@justfood.ca
Food Futures Youth Council: Applications Close October 10th
Calling all passionate youth ages 18-25 in the Algonquin/Ottawa region!
Join Food Futures, a dynamic team of change makers representing the youth voice for food and farming issues in the region!
There are two ways to be involved with Food Futures. Youth can apply to be a part of the Food Futures Youth Council (5 hour total monthly commitment), or sign up for the Youth Food Crew to engage with Food Futures initiatives on a drop-in basis.
Your unique voice and perspective is invaluable to the growing food justice movement.
Apply to the Youth Council by this Thursday, October 10th! Applications close at 11:59PM.
If you have any questions about Food Futures, or would like further information about these opportunities, please reach out to youthaction@justfood.ca.
We look forward to meeting you!
