Community and allotment gardens have been deemed essential by the provincial government and are now permitted during the pandemic state of emergency in Ontario.
The province announced the change today, stating the community gardens are an essential source of fresh food for some individuals and families.
There has been a lobbying effort, led by Sustain Ontario, to push the provincial government to allow community gardens to open this season.
“Many people rely on community gardens for fresh food, so a great deal of advocacy has been happening at the provincial level about this issue,” said Kate Greavette, executive director of the York Region Food Network, which operates five of the nine community gardens in York Region.
Community gardens, including both an allotment and collective garden in Newmarket, have been closed since the province issued the emergency order that closed recreational spaces and parks to help “flatten the curve” with physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without a specific designation as essential, community gardens across the province were caught between their “recreational” designation and the reality of being an essential food producer for many in the community.
According to the news release from the province, local medical officers of health will provide advice, recommendation, and instructions the gardens must meet to operate. That will include physical distancing and disinfecting common surfaces and equipment.
— With files from Dave Kramer
