Where are community gardens open?
Jurisdictions Allowing
Community Gardens to Operate During COVID-19 Emergency Measures
Updated April 24, 2020
British Columbia
Community gardens and subsistence farming are essential
services.
New Brunswick
Community gardens are essential services. Provincial
government includes safety measures.
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/h-s/pdf/Gardens.pdf
PEI
Community gardens are essential services.
Quebec
Gatineau community gardens are open https://www.gatineau.ca/portail/default.aspx?p=nouvelles_annonces/communiques/communique_2015&id=-2006269600
Institute nationale de santé publique supports open
community gardens and includes safety measures. https://sustainontario.com/2020/04/14/quebecs-proposed-safety-protocols-for-community-gardens/
Alberta
Community gardens are not explicitly closed or exempted from
closure. Gatherings of fewer than 15 people are allowed. https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-information.aspx
The City of Edmonton reversed recreational services
designation of community gardens upon advice from the Alberta Medical Officer
of Health. https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/gardens_lawns_trees/community-gardens.aspx
Ontario cities/Mayors expressing support
Ottawa
The Board of Health of the City of Ottawa passes
motion unanimously on April 20, 2020 identifying allotment and community
gardens as “an important measure to increase food security for many residents”,
and asks province “to exempt outdoor allotment gardens and community gardens
from the closure of outdoor recreational amenities in jurisdictions where
public health measures can be implemented to support their safe operation to
prevent the spread of COVID19.”
Perth
Brampton
https://www.inbrampton.com/brampton-launching-citywide-gardening-program-in-response-to-pandemic
Kitchener/Waterloo
Kingston
Other
Port Moody, BC https://cityfarmer.info/canada-port-moody-council-floats-urban-farm-to-feed-residents-if-covid-crisis-lasts/
London, UK – gardens are open, Capital Growth offers support
and guidelines https://www.capitalgrowth.org/coronavirus/
New York City – gardens are open only for food production,
city program growing seedlings for gardens https://greenthumb.nycgovparks.org/news.html?news_id=468
Philadelphia, with a similar number of community gardens as
Toronto, has allowed gardens to open and provided safety guidelines https://whyy.org/articles/yes-you-can-go-to-your-community-garden-city-deems-farms-essential/