Expression of Interest for Urban Agriculture
Initiatives On City- and Park Land
Are you interested in starting a new urban agriculture project?
Urban agriculture plays an important role in creating vibrant gathering spaces, greening the environment,
supporting local food resiliency and promoting social inclusion. The City of Vancouver has had a long history
and support for food growing in the city. In order to better support and enable urban agriculture, the City of
Vancouver is asking residents to send in their ideas to help identify potential new urban agriculture
initiatives and locations.
Some urban agriculture projects that may be considered are:
 Shared growing: growing food together with others for a variety of educational, cultural, and other
purposes.
 Community gardens: One piece of land with multiple garden plots for individual gardening
 Community or urban orchards: Collective management of a group of fruit or nut trees
 Permaculture projects: planting food and plants from a natural and ecological systems perspective
 Pollinator gardens: providing natural habitat for pollinator bees and insects
For the purposes of this expression of interest, we will only be considering sites that are owned by the City
of Vancouver or the Vancouver Park Board. If your project is on non-city owned land and associated with a
non-profit organization, please see our other application on the web for assistance to support small
agricultural projects. If you have questions or enquiries regarding ownership of land, please contact the
number below.
When identifying a possible location for your urban agriculture initiative, consider underutilized and unused
sites or spaces, or improving and adding to existing sites. For instance, a potential site could be vacant land
at the end of a block, land parallel to streets, un-programmed and underutilised areas of parks, etc.
If you have an urban farm and/or social enterprise idea, please contact the number below before submitting
an application.
For more information about urban agriculture and community gardens in Vancouver visit
vancouver.ca/communitygardens
Deadline for applications: October 9, 2015
How it works
1. Expression of interest:
Community groups or individuals interested in starting new urban agriculture initiatives can submit an
expression of interest outlining their plan and the proposed site.
2. Selecting successful community garden candidates:
The City will consider the submitted proposals, which will help prioritize gardens and food growing
initiatives for upcoming years.
3. Formal application and developing new garden:
The City will work with successful candidates to submit a formal application, and finalize design for the site
and help prepare the gardens. The City will provide, where applicable, land clearing and preparation, water
hook-up, and first year’s compost.
Resources
For more information to successfully apply for, design and construct an urban agriculture project on City of
Vancouver land, read the Urban Agriculture Garden Guide here:
http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/urban-agriculture-garden-guide.pdf
Also, please review the City of Vancouver operational guidelines for community gardens on City-owned land
and Parks Board community garden policy
http://vancouver.ca/people-programs/start-a-new-community-garden.aspx
Considerations
When reviewing expressions of interests the City will consider the following:
- City-owned sites: For the purposes of this expression of interest, we will only be considering sites that are
owned by the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board. If you have questions or enquiries
regarding ownership of land, or the appropriateness of a specific site for an urban agriculture project,
please contact the number below.
- Feasibility of applicant’s project plan: Both the short-term (E.g. location, community partnerships,
construction, budget) and long-term (E.g. maintance, governance) plans will be reviewed.
- Applicant’s partnership with a local non-profit organization: All urban agriculture projects and
community gardens on City-owned land must be administered by a non-profit, strata or co-op. The
organization must enter the licence agreement with the City. If you do not have a local non-profit
organization, strata or co-op in mind, the City will work with you to determine potential organizations.
If you have any questions or inquiries please contact: foodpolicy@vancouver.ca or 604.873.7764
Expression of Interest for Urban Agriculture
Initiatives On City- and Park Land
APPLICATION
There are many spaces and places in Vancouver that could be ideal for urban agriculture. The City of
Vancouver is asking residents to send in an expression of interest to identify potential sites to help prioritize
support for 2016. Please complete the form below.
Send completed form to foodpolicy@vancouver.ca by October 9, 2015.
Contact Information:
Name:
Click here to enter text.
Affiliation or
organization:
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Mailing Address:
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Telephone:
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Email Address:
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NOTE: For community gardens on City-owned land, a non-profit, strata or co-op must enter in a licence agreement
with the City. If you do not have a local non-profit organization, strata or co-op in mind, the City will work with you to
determine potential organizations.
1. Description of the proposed location.
Where is your project located? Is the proposed project for the entire site or a portion of it?
Include a street address or a nearby address for reference as well as an air photo with the site marked
(both google and VanMaps can be used to do this).
Click here to enter text.
2. Description of your organization and your interest in developing a new urban agriculture project.
CITY OF VANCOUVER
Expression of Interest for Urban Agriculture Initiatives
Why are you and/or your organization interested in developing this project? Include any
relevant experience you may have with urban agriculture and community development process.
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3. Briefly describe how the local community will be involved. What connections have already
been made with community groups or organizations?
Please describe how the project will address access, inclusion and diversity of under-represented groups.
Include any partnerships or support from other organizations or businesses and/or funding in place.
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4. Project construction
What is the timeline for constructing the project? Will everything be built at once or will it be built in
stages?
Who will be constructing the project? How much labour will be required?
What materials are needed? Will materials be donated or purchased? What is your estimated budget?
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CITY OF VANCOUVER
Expression of Interest for Urban Agriculture Initiatives
5. Governance and maintenance
What is your plan for long-term management and maintenance of the project?
How will the project provide opportunities for education and/or skill-building?
How will the project be used and maintained in the winter months?
Click here to enter text.
6. Physical plan of the project
Please attach a rough sketch indicating how the project relates to surrounding property lines, streets,
sidewalks, etc. It should also show the locations and the different elements of the project (individual
plots, shared gardening space, storage shed, picnic area, etc.)