Organizations
Canadian Organic Growers Toronto Chapter is a federally incorporated registered charity that has been promoting organic growing for over 30 years. COG’s membership includes consumers, gardeners, retailers, processors and farmers from all regions of Canada who share a vision for a sustainable, bioregionally-based organic food system that protects and enhances the health of people and the environment.Circular Toronto is an online platform promoting the circular economy in Toronto (waste reduction, re-using) with a member listing and map and events calendar.
Community Food Centres Canada - provides resources to create Community Food Centres, welcoming spaces where people come together to grow, cook, share, and advocate for good food. You can access their Learning Network if you register (free).
Compost Council of Canada - has resources about composting including back yard systems, compost tea and anaerobic digestion. Provides compost training and certification programs.
FoodShare - works with communities and schools to deliver healthy food and food education about the entire food system. Extensive resources on community and school gardens, FoodShare Academy.
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities - aims to increase the awareness of the multiple benefits of green roofs, green walls and other forms of living architecture in order to develop the market in North America.
Not Far From The Tree - a fruit picking project which supports volunteers to harvest fruit that is shared between homeowners, the volunteers and local food banks, shelters and community kitchens.
Ojibiikaan Indigenous Cultural Network - provides dedicated Indigenous Food Sovereignty programming to address Indigenous food systems, food education, food justice, and agricultural and ecological practices and protocols. Projects include traditional food and medicine gardens, an ancestral seed library and the Ojiibikens (Little Root) Early Years Program.
PACT - supports and empowers at-risk young people through programs focused on food and gardening.
Seeds of Diversity - encourages the preservation and cultivation of heirloom and endangered varieties of food crops. The website lists Seedy Saturday events across Canada and a manual for organizing Seedy Saturdays is available on request. Members have access to a national seed exchange of rare and heirloom seeds.
Shoresh - runs educational programs and activities around environmental issues, poverty and hunger from a Jewish perspective. They have community gardens and community shared agriculture programs in Toronto and the GTA.
Sprout - is an outreach program that unites non-profit groups with landscape architects to collaborate on community-led design projects. In addition to the initiation of single project partnerships, Sprout provides a platform to network, share ideas, and envision our common landscape.
Sundance Harvest is a grassroots urban farming organization to mobilize, liberate and grow with Black, Indigenous and People of Colour.
Toronto Balconies Bloom - a volunteer project to inspire and support apartment and condo dwellers with balconies to create thriving balcony gardens in the city.
The Toronto Beekeepers Cooperative is a collective dedicated to learning about bees and beekeeping, providing public education around bees, and engaging in political advocacy on behalf of bees. TBC is also responsible for the care of shared hives throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
Toronto Chickens - a blog about raising chickens in the city that promotes updating the Toronto Municipal Code in order to permit the responsible keeping of backyard chickens.
Toronto Green Community - focuses on urban environmental issues and runs educational programs such as the Eglinton Park Heritage Community Garden and the Great Garden Adventure. Several resources are available on the website about sustainable gardening techniques, composting, and sprouting. Coordinates Rivers Rising, which explores Lost River Watershed communities to capture and share stories where food, water, history and cultures (particularly newcomer and Indigenous) intersect.
CentralToronto Seed Library - provides free and easy access to organic, native, heirloom and open pollinated seeds by establishing seed exchange branches and reviving the culture of seed saving. Seedy Zine, links to seed saving resources and seed vendors in Ontario.
West
Bowery Project - a not-for-profit organization with a mission to create opportunities for urban agriculture through the creation of mobile urban farms and the temporary use of vacant lots.CRC Regent Park - a welcoming place which provides to community members an access to high-quality of food and the opportunity to develop cooking and gardening skills.
Evergreen - aims to restore the connection between Canada's cities and the natural environment in order to create greener and more sustainable cities, through different programs. Evergreen hosts the Evergreen Brick Works, a community environmental centre. There is a resources section under Get Involved that includes info for teachers and greening school grounds, community gardens, fundraising, native plants and food growing.
Green Thumbs - offers food growing and environmental education programs for urban children, youth and their families on public school and park lands in downtown east Toronto.
Riverdale Hub - has undertaken a three-part garden initiative to aid in greening this east end landmark. A green roof, a rooftop vegetable garden and a rainwater garden all act as important players in providing healthier, more natural options for everything from water usage and insulation, to food production and personal health.
The Stop Community Food Centre - The Stop helps people meet emergency food needs through a wide range of programs including drop-in meals, food bank and community kitchens. Urban agriculture programs include youth education, YIMBY back yard sharing program, community gardens, greenhouse and compost demonstration site, Global Roots garden and Indigenous garden at Hillcrest Park.
Urban Farm at TMU - operates two rooftop farms on campus to produce and distribute food, facilitate research and engage the community through ecological rooftop farming and food justice initiatives. The Urban Farm strives to support the health and well-being of the community and surrounding ecosystem by using practices that are ecologically, socially and financially just. This includes growing foods, medicines and plants that are culturally significant to many communities by applying diverse knowledges, foodways and growing techniques.
YMCA - focuses on community support and development, which offers opportunities for personal growth, community involvement and leadership through several health programs. Search for “garden” on their page to find info about their Green Team and rooftop gardens.
North
Centre for Addictions and Mental Health - CAMH is a mental health and addiction teaching hospital which uses gardening to promote recovery, including the Sunshine Garden program, a partnership between CAMH and FoodShare.
Greenest City - GC runs urban agriculture/food security, environmental education and community engagement programs. GC is a partner with TUG on the GrowTO project.
EastAfriCan Food Basket - AFB works communities to help advance community food security through youth leadership development, urban farming and community gardens in the African-Canadian Community. AFB offers technical support for community projects and urban agriculture training.
Black Creek Community Farm - BCCF is the largest urban farm in Toronto, which aims to engage, educate and empower diverse communities through the growing and sharing of food. BCCF delivers hands-on learning programs on food and farming to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Flemingdon Park Ministry runs The Common Table, including a market and urban farm on land donated by a church.
North York Community House - a dynamic neighbourhood centre offering innovative programs and services to newcomers and residents such as community kitchen and garden programs.
North York Harvest Food Bank - engages the community in meeting the food needs of northern Toronto by providing dignified food assistance, but also education and long-term food solutions. You can find resources on food banks in Canada and others subjects related to food security on the website. NYH is a partner with TUG on the GrowTO and CEED gardens projects.
The Neighbourhood Office - provides a wide range of community services, including community gardening. The Thorncliffe Family Garden provides opportunities for families to grow and eat their own nutritious foods by offering 15 plots and workshops.
York University: Maloca Garden - The Maloca Garden provides individuals affiliated with York University, and the surrounding North York community, with an opportunity to learn about grow and harvest food. Become a member to attend gardening workshops and others activities.
Agincourt Community Services Association - ACSA runs a wide range of programs and services for the Scarborough Community, including a food bank, community gardens and other food security programs. ACSA edits also a “Good Food Newsletter” bi-monthly. You can find the archive on the website.
Carrot Common - Carrot Common is a retail and health center with stores, natural health services and a green roof. Carrot Cache is a funding program that supports innovative food producers.
Centre for Immigrant & Community Services provides settlement services, including the From Garden to Kitchen program
East Scarborough Storefront - - helps networks of residents, social service organizations, academic institutions and others to run programs and organize events in the neighbourhood of Kingston Galloway/Orton Park. Includes the R.O.S.E garden which provides opportunities to the residents to grow fresh vegetables, and the Eco-Food Hub, a place to learn and share knowledge about food and cooking.
Malvern Family Resource Centre - a multi-service social service agency providing a variety of programs and services to residents in the Scarborough North and Scarborough Rouge Parks ridings. Malvern Action for Neighbourhood Centre operates community gardens in Neilson Park and along Sewells Road and the Malvern Revitalization Committee plans projects related to local food and environmental issues. MFRC is developing one of the CEED gardens on Hydro lands.
Overland Adult Learning Centre - serves many in the community through its English as a Second Language courses, seniors programs and general interest classes. This centre also hosts the Overland Environmental Learning Garden (OELG), a partnership with Community Share Food Bank.
Seed to Table - works with young people and families in the Kingston-Galloway/Orton Park neighbourhood to address root causes of unhealthy food and sedentary lifestyles by focusing on healthy cooking, nutritious eating, gardening skills and physical activity. Also see their Tumblr site for the Instars youth program.
Toronto Botanical Gardens - offers an array of 17 award-winning themed gardens spanning nearly four acres, designed to educate and inspire. You'll also find a complete range of innovative indoor and outdoor learning experiences for all ages including programs, garden tours, and an extensive horticultural library. The catalog is accessible on line.
Community Health Centres
The following health centres have integrated urban agriculture into their healing and wellness programs or provide support to urban ag in their surrounding communities.