Province gives green light for community gardens to operate in Toronto

Toronto's parks and conservation reserves may still be closed, but the locally-run plots of land that help feed the city will be allowed to re-open, says the province. 

A new amendment to Ontario's state of emergency order issued Saturday will allow people to operate community gardens and allotment gardens.

Emergency order expands staff redeployment measures beyond health care to allow redeployment within intervenor sector; permits community gardens to open as a food security measure. @DeafBlindON @SustainOntario

Read the news release: https://t.co/IfOvFrE4l0

— Ontario Nonprofit Network (@o_n_n) April 25, 2020

"These gardens are an essential source of fresh food for some individuals and families, including those who face food insecurity," it said.

"Local medical officers of health will provide advice, recommendation, and instructions that the gardens must meet in order to operate, such as physical distancing and cleaning and disinfecting commonly used equipment and surfaces." 

Today's new Provincial order confirms that community gardens will be allowed to re-open under local public health rules for safety. Toronto Public Health is working quickly with Parks staff to finalize these rules and ensure gardens can feed and enrich our communities this year.

— Joe Cressy (@joe_cressy) April 25, 2020

Food security advocates argued that community gardens are part of the essential food-supply chain and successfully pushed for the re-opening of community gardens across Ontario. Initially they fell into the category of recreational outdoor spaces which were forced to close in March.

Toronto's community gardens sit within city-owned parks and land and  include over 70 locations in downtown Toronto, Scarborough and Etobicoke.