Urban Gardening in Montreal

Montreal, Quebec is famous for being a beautiful and vibrant city, filled with culture, but did you know that as of recently, it is also emerging as a prime example of urban sustainability? This is due to the city's widespread adoption of urban gardening practices. As the city expands, whether by population or through urban sprawl, more and more citizens have looked to urban gardening as a way of fostering community, promoting sustainability, and improving the overall quality of everyday urban living.

A Very Green History

Urban gardening is not a new concept to Montrealers. From before the time the city of Montreal was founded, the land was home to the cultivation of gardens by way of the Kanien'kehá:ka people. During the period of colonization, immigrants from all over Europe came to Montreal, bringing all sorts of seeds to plant with them. Afterall, for the longest while, growing and farming your own food was the norm.

Looking forward into the 1970s, urban gardens began to pop up all over the city as a way of combating the current economic crisis that the citizens of Montreal were facing.

In 2007, the city's beautification committee officially started a community garden program to bring people together and to aid those from low-income households.

Today's Urban Gardening Renaissance

Fast forward to the present day, urban gardening is still very prevalent in Montreal, having undergone a “comeback” due to the increased consciousness of environmental issues and the desire to have more sustainable sources for food. From rooftop gardens, to vertical gardening systems, all the way to community gardens; Montreal is on a journey towards becoming more green.

The city's government has put several initiatives into place in order to make the city greener. For example, there are green alleyways, where plants are cultivated, there are designated spaces for tree plantings and there are more community gardens arising.

Bringing the Community Together

At the centre of Montreal's urban gardening initiative is a desire for community and socialization amongst citizens. These gardens serve as a space for people from a variety of different backgrounds to come together to learn from and connect with nature. There is also the opportunity of learning and fostering gardening skills, building friendships along the way. Besides just gardening, these green spaces are often used for other gatherings such as workshops and communal meals made from food that was grown in the garden.

Beyond the fostering of relationships, urban gardening has helped Montreal's less fortunate. Often times, the produce grown at these urban gardens are much less expensive than what you will find while shopping at your local grocery store. Concordia University's community garden on their Loyola Campus, for example, grows and sells their produce in an ethical and well-priced manner, meaning those who are facing food insecurity have the opportunity to purchase produce that they are able to afford.

The Environmental Benefits of Urban Gardening

While the social aspects of urban gardening are wonderful, the environmental benefits of urban gardening are just as great. Urban gardens have created a space for food to be grown locally, meaning that when it comes to transportation, carbon emissions are drastically minimized. Many of these gardens even make sure to use environmentally friendly growing practices such as collecting rainwater to use to wet the soil in the garden.

The Highs and the Lows of Urban Gardening

Although Montreal has been quite successful in their urban gardening endeavors, there are certain challenges that still persist, for example, the lack of space. There is very limited space within a city where produce can be grown and harvested, and with urban sprawl, we are slowly seeing even less. This is even more of an issue in low-income areas where buildings are jammed closely together and there is little room to start a co-op, making it challenging for lower income households to fully access the all benefits of the urban garden. Hopefully, through new technology, innovation, and collaboration with city officials, more can be done to support and expand these urban gardens.

Montreal's Greener Future

The city of Montreal continues to evolve, along with its urban gardening aspirations and achievements. With the help of its environmentally conscious citizens, perhaps Montrealers will see their city become a global leader in the urban agricultural sphere. For now, as they tend to their gardens, they can keep in mind that they are sowing the seeds of a better and brighter future where food is grown sustainably and where community comes together.