The City of Ottawa is updating the Use and Care of Roads By-law regarding the growth of food in residential boulevard (Right-of-Way) gardens. You have until December 31st 2024 to submit your feedback in support of food growth in the Right-of-Way!
The boulevard is the city-owned portion of the front yard on a lot. The boulevard can account for a significant portion of the front yard space - in many areas in Ottawa, the boulevard can extend more than 15 feet away from the curb. Residents are expected to maintain this section of their property.
In 2023, the city passed amendments to the by-law to allow residents to plant and maintain gardens (instead of grass) along the city-owned boulevard abutting their property. At the time, gardens intended on growing food for consumption were not permitted, but staff were directed to conduct further review on the allowance of food, as well as planter boxes in boulevard gardens.
Now, city staff are considering updating the by-law to:
- Allow the growth of food in residential boulevard gardens
- Introduce a provision to allow moveable planter boxes on a seasonal basis
- Introduce a required letter of acknowledgement and release for a resident to grow food in their garden
While the review is a positive step forward, staff are considering that food grown in containers will be allowed only if those containers are movable (eg. can be lifted without having to remove the soil) and would need to be removed from the Right-of-Way each Fall and returned each spring.
Furthermore, the report states that the height limitation of 1 meter will remain for all plants planted in the boulevard, and unless the wording is explicitly changed in the by-law, this height would be measured from the ground, not the top of the garden box.
Our Recommendations:
- Every residential house in Ottawa should be permitted to have NON-movable, permanent raised garden beds to contain healthy soil to grow plants. Many homes in Ottawa already have permanent beds in their front yards and boulevards, and these have not posed any issue for road maintenance, snow plows, etc. Permanent beds would significantly expand the quantity and quality of food that is able to be grown in the garden and would allow boulevard gardens to be a more substantial, year-round, permanent food source.
- For plants located within 1 meter of the curb, the city should increase the plant height to 1 meter as measured from the TOP of the garden box to ensure that a wider variety of plants can be grown. For all other plants located more than 1 meter away from the curb, the city should allow plants to grow freely, or at a minimum of 1.5 meters, and enforce plant height only if there is a safety consideration.
- Residents should be able to plant and grow their own native trees in the Right of Way, as well as fruit, nut and sap trees - at the cost to the resident. This would further grow and enhance the biodiversity of the city's tree canopy, compliment ROW food gardens by providing additional sustainable food sources, and reduce costs from the city needing to plant and maintain trees on those properties as part of the Trees in Trust program. We suggest the city develop more comprehensive evidence-based online resources on food-producing trees and tree care for residents to consult when deciding to plant a fruit or nut tree in the ROW.
For more information and additional recommendations to the by-law, visit the following pages:
- Just Food reported on staff's considerations to the by-law and posted their recommendations - CLICK HERE to read
- Ottawa South Eco-Action Network (OSEAN) created a webpage that focuses on ways the by-law could expand biodiversity in addition to food sovereignty - CLICK HERE to read
You have until December 31st, 2024, to submit your feedback by filling out the survey on Engage Ottawa! To access the survey, visit the link HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page.
