If you’re a community gardener with Urban Bounty this is your guide to prepping your garden for spring/winter clean-up. It is important that the gardens comply with the Rules and Agreements. Click here for an outline of when reviews will take place and other key dates. 

To pass a review, plot users must ensure that:

  • Plot and pathways are free of weeds
  • Plot has been planted and is being actively used
  • Structures do not exceed 6 feet 10 inches and do not cover more than 30% of the plot
  • Fence does not exceed 4 feet, no locks on fences
  • No planted trees, raspberries, Jerusalem artichokes, blackberries, non-edible shrubs or invasive species according to provincial regulations
  • Gardening and non gardening materials are not placed or stored within the pathways, in common areas or on trellises
  • Surface of plots and surrounding perimeter are not covered with plastic mulch
  • Structures are properly built and safely maintained if deteriorating 
  • Garden green waste is properly composted
  • No garbage in plot and surrounding area 
  • No treated or painted lumber within and around the plot

Garden Plot Infractions

By reading these rules & agreement and paying for your plot fees you indicate that you understand and agree to follow all rules set out by Urban Bounty. We must comply with the Rules and Agreements set by the City and in consultation with the public as our gardens are on public City property and safety hazards are a risk to all members of the public.

  • Plot reviews are conducted 3 times per year: in case of an infraction, the first notice will be a written email notice with explanation. Plot holders will be given 14 days to correct the identified issue(s). Follow-up reviews will be conducted on plots that had a previous violation.
  • If there are no significant changes, you will receive a second notice via email with a date that the plot rental is cancelled and you must forfeit your plot.

Forfeiting plots is done on a case by case basis.  Our intention with this process is to ensure that people gardening at the community gardens are using the land to grow food for themselves and their families. We understand that circumstances change throughout the growing season and if something has come up please let us know by contacting the Urban Agriculture staff to explain your specific situation. We can often find resources to help!


Cover Crops Program

Modern life is certainly busy and can take time away from gardening. To support our gardeners, Urban Bounty has created two new cover crops programs that will help gardeners comply with our Rules and Agreement: the Cover Crops Relief Program and the Spring and Fall Cover Crops Program. These programs will introduce new gardening practices to improve soil health, reduce the establishment of weeds and increase productivity.