The following organizations run urban agriculture programs or have an interest in UA in Toronto. For national or provincial organizations that operate in Toronto, see our Beyond Toronto page.
Can’t find your organization here? Please contact us at info@torontourbangrowers.org
City wide
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.
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 education about the entire food system. Extensive resources on community and school gardens and urban farms.
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities – aims to increase awareness of the multiple benefits of green roofs, green walls and other forms of living architecture 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.
Right to Food provides resources to member Good Food Organizations.
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.
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 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.
Toronto 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.
Central
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.
Fred Victor – a welcoming place which provides to community members an access to high-quality of food and the opportunity to develop cooking and gardening skills. Coordinates community gardens in the Regent Park neighbourhood
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 – home of a rooftop vegetable garden with solar panels..
The Stop Community Food Centre – The Stop helps people meet emergency food needs through a wide range of programs including urban agriculture programs. The Stop runs three sites with community gardens, a greenhouse and compost demonstration site, Global Roots garden, 10 Metre Greens 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.
West
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.
LEGS Etobicoke (Lakeshore Environmental Garden Society) is a community group dedicated to green spaces, green thumbs, fresh ideas and healthy environments. They operate a community garden at the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Mama’s Healing Garden aims to empower and nourish Toronto’s diverse Black Indigenous and marginalized communities by providing access to nutritious, locally grown food and holistic healing practices rooted in African ancestral wisdom. Runs the Summerlea Park Community Garden.
The GARDENS Lakeshore offers training and garden “pods” in different sites in Etobicoke.
North
AfriCan 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.
Sundance Commons is a grassroots urban farming organization to mobilize, liberate and grow with Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. They provide training and incubator plots.
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.
Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers (TPUF) is a community-based, small-scale farming group located in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood of Toronto. Local residents volunteer their time maintaining two communal vegetable gardens located on residential apartment properties as well as fruit trees throughout the neighbourhood and share the harvest at no cost to them.
York University: Maloca Garden – The Maloca Garden provides individ uals 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.
East
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.
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. CICS offers plots and greenhouse space to community groups.
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 Park ridings, including community gardens in Neilson Park and along Sewells Road. MFRC also runs the Malvern Urban Farm and seasonal farmers’ market.
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 online.
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.
Toronto Urban Growers 